


Tales of A Fallen Kingdom

by 472583



Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: Dark Comedy, Death, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Love, Love Triangles, Magic, Memes, Nihilism, Non-Canon dimensional realms, Philosophy, Platonic Relationships, Politics, Portuguese, Post Season 3, Red Pill, Sexual Humor, Shitlords got magic powers, Some Starco, Stereotypes, Swearing, Unhealthy Relationships, Uprising, other languages, politically incorrect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-05-06 08:40:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14638203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/472583/pseuds/472583
Summary: After Meterora's defeat, Mewni is left in ruins: the castle is destroyed, magical powers are not under control, the throne's command is for the first time in centuries uncertain, the population is scared and the Queen is missing. Star is forced to take the seat and act as ruler until things are back in order somehow. And to do that, she must receive the help of an old ally of her family...that turns out to be kind of a dick.This is the tale of Star Butterfly, Queen of Mewni, and the ups and downs of her struggle to rebuild her kingdom, fix her relationships, prove her worth as a ruler and deal with the Elemental Powers of the Thorenheim family. All to stand victorious against the forces of politics.A story about traditions, virtues, flaws and hopes for a better tomorrow. And also, a story about memes.Takes place after the events of season 3, and is canon with all the show's events up until that point.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> While no sexual relations will take place in the chapters, they may be heavily implied or occur between chapters and not be described in detail. However, sexual language will be present and fairly common. In addition, if you are provoked by racial insults or other offensive language, I advice you not to read this story.

 The Elemental Planes are by far the most basic of all dimensions of the Multiverse. Water, Fire, Air and Earth, while not the elements of most dimensional realms, powered by magic, are the foundation of all higher planes of existence. The Elemental Planes are the cornerstone of Reality. The laws of physics operate entirely differently in these dimensions, standard Dimensional Scissors are not able to access them, and even being aware of their existence took time to the inhabitants of complex dimensions where fully sentient life could develop and prosper. Having control over these elements and their reigns means controlling the cornerstones of the Multiverse, of all Creation, an extent of power many brilliant minds, whose motives have ranged from humble to devious, from several different dimensions dedicated their lives to obtaining.

 Despite the best efforts of countless intellectuals and adventurers over generations, for a very long time, no living soul in the Multiverse was capable of opening and sustaining a stable portal to any Elemental Plane and control it for long. At best, the portal would close a mere fraction of a second after the enchantments were cast, forcing whoever opened it to start all over again. At worst, the creatures that inhabit the Planes would be severely displeased when aware of their homeworld´s apparent invasion. The elementals are, based on what most scholars know today, on the edge of what can be called sentient life, if they´re alive at all. Yet they hold an absurdly vast power. Just as their dimensions can build, the elementals can destroy. Many times, the portal would be taken over by the Plane´s magical forces and kept open, and the elementals would pour out like an army and fiercely punish the offenders. Entire cities were destroyed, frozen, crushed, set ablaze by these beings. Yet, despite their merciless destruction of materials, virtually no casualties outside of the offenders were recorded, and most would even dare to say the elementals tried their best to make sure the loss of innocent life was either as small as possible, or entirely non existent.

 The dwellers of the Underworld were able to summon flames from the Elemental Plane of Fire, and were the only ones to be able to do so. Over the eras, their dimension grew to rely on that eternal source of heat to feed itself, and the Underworld rulers tried to expand their knowledge about the Plane to summon fire elementals to fight on their side. However, their efforts proved worthless, as the extent of their mastery over the Elemental Plane never grew, and eventually, their research grew stagnant, and they abandoned their hopes.

 It wasn´t until much later than someone managed to make a breakthrough. From the most unexpected dimension of all: Earth. A human man, now theorized to have been somehow associated with the Catholic Church, managed to summon flames from the Elemental Plane of Fire, not much differently than the Underworld´s inhabitants. He´s known to have dealt with demonic powers in his lifetime in order to access their research on the Planes. But he did far more than steal their knowledge: he expanded upon it. It is entirely unknown how exactly this man, over 500 years ago, managed to unlock secrets that scholars from all dimensions took millenia to even acknowledge, let alone access. Perhaps he was assisted by magical entities unknown to modern trans dimensional civilizations, or maybe he mastered the Arcane Arts with no help whatsoever. His motivations to pursue such understanding are still up for debate, but what little information remains today points in the same direction: he wished to defend Humanity and Earth against the interests of other dimensions, and knew that a race with so little knowledge of magic could not possibly stand a chance alone. “Knowledge is the greatest weapon of all”.

 Within his lifetime, this scholar obtained enough knowledge to summon elements from the four Planes. But of course, one man´s life could not possibly be enough to learn all there is to know about the nature of the Elemental Planes. While he had the most wanted secrets in the Multiverse in his mind, the sword of time had already begun to pierce his skin. To preserve his precious knowledge and assure it would never fall in the wrong hands, he performed a final enchantment on himself: permanently binding his soul to the Elemental Planes, ensuring a connection that could transcend flesh and blood, saving his spirit from ever being captured by the Underworld. Most importantly, it allowed him to pass his powers, in the form of knowledge hidden deep within his mind, to a descendant, creating a dynasty of future elementalists to take his place: that dynasty is known today as the Thorenheim family line. Recognized as one of the closest, most unstable allies of the Butterflies, rulers of Mewni's most powerful kingdom. While the two families remain close to each other, the Butterflies never conquered a Thorenheim´s unquestionable loyalty, making their alliance purely pragmatic. The Thorenheims have been assassins, bounty hunters, defenders, conquerors and mercenaries in service of Mewni royals over their relatively short history when compared to the Butterflies, all while expanding upon the knowledge of previous generations and establishing themselves as the most influential human bloodline in the Multiverse.

 While early elementalists tried to have as many children as possible to preserve the future of the family, it soon proved to be a futile effort: only the first born could inherit the soul-binding spell that allowed most of the abilities to be used. However, the Thorenheims have structured their family in several different fashions over the centuries: from secretive organizations working behind the shadows, to sizable clans living on the edge of the civilized world, or even to simply living among other humans as if nothing was different. Through the ages up until modern times, everything seemed perfectly fine. But chaos and disorder were quick to strike at the heart of the Thorenheim family. The death of Robert Thorenheim, single child and heir of all the family´s power, came as a shock. He had left no known descendants. And with his father dead, there was no way the bloodline could go on. This would be the end of Humanity´s protectors, and the end of a legend.

\----

 Queen Moon opens her eyes. A feeling of unease washes over her. Burning unease. Her husband is nowhere to be heard when she calls out his name. After a few seconds, she realizes where exactly she is: The skies above are dark purple, the ground is covered in red glowing ash. Flat ground all around her, with mighty mountains rising in the distance. Is...she on fire? Everything is on fire. Flames dance all around her, touching her, and despite not burning her skin or sleepwear, they´re hot. Unbearably hot. A river of molten rock flows just beside her, and in the horizon, a city surrounded by walls of basalt sends beacons of white light into the heavens.

 In front of her, a man observes the Queen´s reactions silently. White hair and an impressive beard that covers most of his face. His eyes are brown and his expression is not threatening, but very intimidating, nevertheless. His black coat flies in the scorching wind that seems not to affect him in the slightest. Moon is so confused it takes time until she is finally aware of what exactly is going on, and who she´s looking at, as she notices the man´s exposed arms are filled with familiar symbols and strange writing, likely the result of long term exposure to magic, not much unlike the Butterfly cheek emblems.

 -Greetings...Your Majesty.- The man´s voice is cold and unpleasant, yet his tone and manner are so cordial Moon seems not to mind, even his there is a certain hatred in those words.

\- William?- The  royal asks, as if there is any doubt in her mind about who he is.

\- Ah, I see you´re yet to forget me, Moon. I´m flattered. I thought the Butterflies would´ve already forgotten I ever existed in the first place.

\- You´re here! But, how can that be? You died.

\- Hah. Death is but a state of mind, i suppose. And of body…

\- Am I dreaming right now, William? Are you trying to play tricks on my mind?

\- Always watching your own back, Highness. Smart move. But I´m not here to make threats. Not today, at least. I thought it was time to discuss the state of affairs between us, and in my current…-He coughs.-...condition, this is the only way in which I could talk to you.

\- I see.- It has been a long time since Moon and the elementalist talked face to face about something. After she received news about Robert's early death, she feared she would never speak with a Thorenheim again. Fortunately, their power and services can still be of use to the Butterflies. That is, if she can handle a conversation with the man she hasn't seen in a couple of years.- I´m sorry about your son, William. I…

\- Don´t be.- He interrupts her.- I want to make that perfectly clear, and you know it all too well yourself already. My son was a disgrace to his family´s name. His short existence was but a cosmic mistake that must now be fixed.

Even the Queen is disturbed by how unforgiving he is towards his son. How could it be that a father holds so little love for his own child?

\- He was still your son.- She continues, visually upset at how little the elementalist cares for his offspring.

\- You don´t have to remind me.- Now the disgust in his words is all too clear for Moon.

\- Does this truly mean the end for the Thorenheims? Couldn´t you resort to rebirth?

\- It would be possible, yes. Forging a new body for me and return to Earth. but I would lose all my memory. And without a master to guide me, I would never unlock all the knowledge in my mind alone. Who knows how much information could be lost?

\- But what else is there to do?

\- That´s just what I called you here for, Queen. There is still plenty of hope.- He pauses, wondering if what he is about to say sounds so unlikely that even he would not believe it, should he not know for sure.- It appears that the pathetic spawn has left me a grandchild...

 Queen Moon can hardly believe William´s statement.

\- What?!- She questions. - H..how could you possibly know that?

\- I can sense his presence on Earth. I´m yet to locate him, but he´s there. He´s young. Very young. No more than a week old.

\- That child is your family´s future.

\- And that´s why I´ll find him, no matter what happens. I hope that his mother takes good care of him.

\- Can you even talk to him?

\- I can manifest on Earth as a spectre. I should have at least until his early adulthood, until...until the soul-binding spell kicks in. Then, I´ll have to pay my debt. But it is enough time to teach him. All the information is already within his brain. He´ll just need my help learning how to unlock it.

-Those are great news.- Despite her low tone, Moon is genuinely relieved. The Thorenheims are, for all intents and purposes, allies. And good ones to have, actually.

\- I can imagine your relief.- William states, making obvious he knows all Moon is concerned with is the relation between the future elementalist and the Butterflies.

\- It´s not like that, Will.

\- Is it not? We´ve already talked about this before, Moon. You know where I stand about you.

\- Please, try to understand. I´m doing this because I´m worried about what´s good for Mewni.

\- Don´t lie to me.- He commands, with no concern whatsoever for how he addresses the monarch. -You care about your precious bloodline, and little more. I wish I could have given my powers to someone I trusted, instead of having to rely on genetic lottery. You could easily pass power like that, and you don´t. And why?

 

 He moves in closer to the Queen, not menacingly, but merely angrily.

-I don´t like you, Moon.- He blatantly and proudly claims. - I never did, and I never will. Not because you´re a noble, mind you, but because you´ll never stand on the same ground as me. I asked you before. “What is the cornerstone of society, the glue that holds the fabric of kingdoms together?” I know your answer: Control. Security. But for me, it is liberty. I hope that whoever takes your throne at least recognizes that. Perhaps there´s still hope for Mewni.

 With no warning, he snaps his fingers in front of her face, and she slips into unconsciousness.

 When she awakes, she is back on her bed, sweating. A chill goes up her spine as she realizes she´s in a cold bedroom, and not the flaming inferno of her dreams. King River is taken by surprise as she sits on the bed and gasps, breathing heavily.

\- Moon! -He says. - Are you alright? What happened?

\- I need to speak with the High Commission right now, River. -She replies. -...There´s an elementalist alive.

 

 


	2. For Those That Rule the World

 Star observes the town below from her room's balcony. Houses have burned down, entire sections of the city have been leveled, and a good portion of the population is homeless. Until most habitations are rebuilt, it was agreed that the affected citizens would sleep inside the castle's lower floors. Several rooms have already been vacated to offer space for all those people. In the distance, the corn fields seem mostly intact. Luckily, Meteora's trail of destructions seems to have focused on the town and castle, leaving the surrounding farmlands untouched. At least, it can be assumed people won't starve to death. She can't even estimate how long it will take to rebuild the core infrastructure required for things to operate within the ordinary, but Star does know one thing: the town is the priority. While the castle is heavily damaged, and the higher floors are at risk, most of it, including her room, the servants' living quarters and all basic services of the fortress will not collapse. With some help from the magic high commission, Tom and Marco, all surviving sections of the castle have been patched up to prevent the whole thing from falling apart, which gives Star enough time to focus on the more pressing matters.

 The rebuilding of the kingdom will take time and effort, but it is entirely within reach in their current condition. Star is much more concerned with the most blatantly obvious problem: her mom is missing. Without the reassuring presence of the Queen, the population is left to trust the decisions of the unexperienced princess in a time of crisis. As the acting Queen of Mewni, that's her job. There are a million problems to be sorted out: the actual restructuring of the kingdom, the reassuring of allied kingdoms and noble families that everything should be alright given enough time, not to mention the apparent battle for succession and control of the Crown. Since she took off with her magic wand, Eclipsa has never been seen again. And neither has glossaryck!

 Forget the easy passing of power, forget the usual aristrocratic bussiness, and forget all about the easy life of a noble. The following months, hell, the years to come will be a battle, as Star's integrity as a monarch will be questioned by everyone at every turn. She's heartbroken, deeply traumatized with everything that has happened. Apparently, she's not even supposed to be the Queen at all!

 -Star?- Marco, the watchful squire, asks his best friend, that seems not to notice his presence until he's within an arm's distance from her. -Are you alright?

-I...I'm fine, Marco.- She replies. -It's just, there's a lot of work to be done, and I'm not sure I can manage. I mean, it's already been two days and so little has been done! We haven't even started the patrols to look for my mom! I don't even know what I'm supposed to do! Should I just sit here and watch everyone work?! I can't even...

-Star! Please calm down.- He puts a hand over her shoulder. -I know it seems bad but, come on! We've been through trouble before. You've told me there were problems you couldn't solve lots of times before, and you always did. I know that it's just a question of time until this is all fixed.

-Thanks, Marco.- All he said are thoughts that had passed through her mind before, but hearing them from someone else, especially from someone as close as Marco, is much more helpful. -I kinda needed to hear that...

-Have you gotten word of Tom?

-He's still in the Underworld, trying to explain to his parents just what happened.- Thankfully, Tom is Star's direct connection with the Lucitors, and he can buy her enough time to fix Mewni before having to discuss bussiness with other kingdoms.

-So, what now?

-Well, now we're supposed to have a meeting with the elementalist!- She frowns, looking at the sun, probably aware of what time it is by seeing its position in the sky, despite it being almost set.- And he's late.

-Who now?

-Oh, jeez! Sorry Marco, I probably forgot to tell you. We're supposed to meet now: me, the magic High Commission, and the elementalist.

-No, you told me about that. You just didn't really explain who that guy's supposed to be.

-Ah, ok. Well, I've never met him before actually. Never even seen him. He usually talks to my mom. But he's a very powerful spellcaster that works for Mewni. And he's from Earth, just like you!

-Really?! That's kind of exciting. Don't you know anything about him?

-He's supposed to be 17, I think. From what my mom told me, the older and wiser an elementalist is, the better they are with their magic. So he probably hasn't unlocked all of his power yet.

-That makes sense, I guess. You're saying he's late?

-Yeah! He was supposed to be here at least an hour ago! But listen, we need that guy on our side, ok? So make sure you make a good impression when we talk to him. We already have enough problems to deal with, and I don't need another freaking twist on the shcedule to...

-Wait, Star, what's that?- Marco points down to the castle's yard, where a dimensional portal is taking shape.

-Oh, that must be him!- Caught off guard, Star briefly stresses.- Quick, use the scissors to get us down there!

 Without question, Marco pulls out his scissors from his pocket and tears open a portal to the yard below. They jump through and get off just in time to see a human figure pass through the dimensional opening.

 

-Ah, foda-se...- The human sighs in annoyance as he shows himself, but a welcoming smile appears on his face as he recognizes the two younger teenagers that stand in front of him.

 He is significantly taller than both Star and Marco. His hair is  short, dark, straight and very messy, actually appearing as if he just got out of bed in the morning. His eyes are brown, his skin is light toned, and he wears black sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He looks just like a regular human, except for his arms, which are covered in markings from his wrists all the way to his elbows. Nearly alien patterns and words in a language that neither Marco nor Star can understand or even recognize.

-Welcome, Mister Thorenheim!- With enthusiasm and a polite expression, Star greets the elementalist, and discreetly kicks Marco in the leg, signaling for him to follow her lead, and he akwardly continues: 

-Yes, greetings, sir!

-Hey, you're Star Butterfly, right?- He shakes her hand. -Good to finally see you. You can call me Peter.

-It's a pleasure to meet you, Peter. This is...

-Marco, yeah, I know.- Peter interrupts her. -I've been told a lot about you two. Say...this place is a mess.- He stops to look at the damaged castle. -I got word of an attack. Something about a succession issue? Didn't think it was this bad.

-Sorry if the castle looks like it's in bad shape. You see, Queen Eclipsa...

-You don't need to tell me, princess. I mean, what kind of a shitty worker doesn't follow the updates of their employers?

-Hah. Yes, I suppose that's wise.- Star lets out a chuckle, since what he said sort of seemed like a joke and she didn't want to be rude.- So, you know all about this?

-About Eclipsa and her daughter? Yes, I'm well informed. But why didn't you call me when Meteora attacked?

-It was my mother's job to do that, and she's...well, she's missing.

-What!? You're telling me Queen Moon is gone?!

-Yes...

-So, that means you, Star Butterfly, are the acting Queen of Mewni?

-Also yes.

-Oh. I see.- Peter looks troubled. Scared, even. -I guess we can talk about all that later. Right now, there's something I really needed to ask you, Prin...Queen.

-What is it?

-Is it really true that you willingly gave your magic wand to Eclipsa?

-Ugh.- Star gulps. She isn't even ready to properly discuss this with the high commission, let alone Peter.- Well, I...

-Thorenheim!- Seemingly out of nowhere, Hekapoo runs into the scene at supernatural speed and, putting herself between the Star and the spellcaster.- You're late.

-Oh, hey there, Hekapoo.- He playfully laughs. -Long time no see, my friend.

-Star, I see you've already met Peter...- She addresses the young Queen.- The high commission is waiting for you all. Shall we?

-Let's not delay this any further, then.- Thorenheim takes the lead into the castle, while Star lets our a sigh of relief.

 

 The inside is fairly intact. Save for the cracked walls and floor, broken torches and missing tiles, the hallways are just as fancy as always. Peter himself seems not to mind the state of the royal residence at all.

-Rhombulus, you son of a bitch!- He shouts just as Hekapoo opens up the doors into the meeting room, making both Rhombulus and Omnitraxus Prime, who sit around the gathering table, jump in surprise.- Good to see you again, my man.

-Oh. Hello, Peter.- Irritated, Rhombulus responds, giving Star and Marco the strong impression of a relationship between the members of the Commission and the elementalist both of them are yet to be explained. The two of them, as well as Hekapoo, take their respective seats in the table.

-Now that we are all here, let us discuss the current state of affairs.- Without further distractions or any sort of greeting, Omnitraxus Prime begins his speech. -It is fairly obvious to everyone sitting here today that the kingdom is in very poor shape. Queen Moon is no longer with us, the city is in ruins, as well as the castle. According to the information I've gathered, Meteora's invasion has created a wave of political unrest across all neighboring  kingdoms. And lastly, the magic wand is no longer under the Crown's control.

 

 Star is visibly nervous. With all too much luck, she managed to convince the high commission that her wand was stolen by Eclipsa during the fight. In fact, the most haunting question in her mind right now is how exactly Peter got the information that she gave the wand away.

 The first few minutes of the meeting are a blur: overlapping voices arguing back and forth about the best course of action: all are in agreement that the kingdom's infrastructure and defenses are the most obvious issue, but the attention that should be given to the relations with allied realms is the primary point of disagreement. Eventually, the debate turns into a heated discussion between opposing points of view, and the Queen herself remains mostly quiet throughout, unsure of what to say to resolve the conflict.

-People!- Thorenheim calls out loudly, briefly silencing everyone's voice.- Let's all lower our voices now. We are civilized people trying to figure out how to resolve this, and we won't be going anywhere with this if we continue to argue this way. I'm gonna have to ask you all to calm the fuck down, alright?

 

For as much as the high commission dislikes the human, he is correct. They remain silent, expecting more words from him. Star, however, is puzzled by how little attention the young man pays to his own words, dropping an F-Bomb during a diplomatic engagement like that.

-Now, I understand that the most urgent issue is the kingdom's defense, and that's exactly what I'm here for. You don't have to worry about security, or enemies sieging the place, for as long as I'm here. What is the state of the city's magical defenses?

-All of them are inactive.- Rhombulus replies.- It will take at least a month before we restore the force shield, probably even longer.

-I'll help your knights defend the place until it's done.- He smiles. -Not a single threat will cause any damage, or you'll have your money back.

-That's another matter, Peter.- Hekapoo intervenes. -We won't be able to pay you as much as promised by Queen Moon for your services, given the current state of things.

-Now, now, Hekapoo...- His smile turns malicious.-...call it a guess, but I doubt Meteora raided the royal vault. So don't bullshit me. You're in full condition to pay me.

-Stop right there.- Star finally speaks up, now with a clear decision.- Peter, whatever my mother promised, we will pay you. But I'm going to have to ask for your full support getting this kingdom back together, or else, I'll have to side with the rest of the commission and reduce your payment.

-My full support...- He repeats, thinking out loud about his response.- Sure. It's my job, I suppose. Whatever I'm asked to do to protect Mewni, I'll do it. But other than that, you're on your own.

-That's all I ask.

-Let me tell you, acting Queen Star. For a 15 year old, you're pretty reasonable to deal with. So, tell you what: I'm gonna throw in a token of my appreciation.

 

 The teenager casually reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a cylindrical yellow wand, and throws it onto the table near Star.

-What is this?- She questions.

-What do you mean? It's your Magic Wand. It sort of changed shape when I touched it.

 

 The entire gathering is confused. Most come to the quick conclusion that Peter is giving Star another wand to work on her magic, naming it "Magic Wand" out of pure irony, as he's known to do. However, as soon as Star grabs it, it is engulfed in blindling light for a few seconds, only to be once again seen in a familiar shape: the perfectly cylindrical structure of the wand gives place to a winged bell with a five pointed star engraved in it. The whole room gasps in surprise.

-You had the Royal magic wand!?- Hekapoo nearly jumps out of her seat in a mix of confusion and anger.-What have you done!?

-What have I done?- The boy is genuinely caught off guard by how negatively the gathering reacts. -I stopped by Eclipsa's place to fix your shit. Isn't that what you pay me to do?

 

 The heated discussion is no more. Now, the entire high commission screams at Peter. Through the mess of sounds, most words are impossible to understand, but it is possible to come to the conclusion all of them are angry he decided to act without discussing the course of action with them and Star. Hekapoo did warn Star, the other day, about how much of a wild card the elementalist always tended to be, even when working with Queen Moon. While the commission is busy blaming Peter for whatever it is he did wrong in their eyes, Star is trying to fully comprehend what happened: apparently, Peter just walked up to Eclipsa and demanded the wand? And she gave it to him!? It didn't make any sense.

-Enough! All of you! - Star orders with dry authority, a tone she's hardly ever used before. She then focuses her attention on the sorcerer.-Peter, you...what exactly did you do?

-I got word that you lost the wand, and that Eclipsa had it. So I used my Dimensional Scout spell to see where she was, and I tracked her down to that monster temple in the mountains. Talked to her, and she gave me the wand.

-Are you telling me she just gave you the wand, no questions asked?

-She did recognize me as an elementalist. Apparently, she only wanted the wand to get her husband out of that crystal thing he was trapped in.- One of Rhombulus' crystals, maybe? It did make sense he was trapped there, just as Eclipsa was. - So when she got him out, I guess she no longer cared. She just gave it to me and said to bring it here.

-Then, why didn't you tell me that right away?

-Honestly? I kinda wanted to test the waters a bit.- Despite that sentence explaining the entirety of Peter's actions, as far as Star understands, he goes on. - No offense, Queen Star, but you're young. Way too young to hold the throne, no matter how you look at it. So I thought I should try to see how well you handled yourself. And to be fair, I'm pretty impressed. So I decided to give it right away instead of waiting to actually see you in action. You know, as a little proof of my credibility.

 This man is very, very unpredictable, that much Star is certain of. She was warned time and time again that the Thorenheims don't really have any loyalty for anyone. But the fact he managed to resolve this nightmare that would keep both Star and the entire commission awake at night for weeks to come so quickly speaks well of the sorcerer's skills. It would have taken days just to get a clue as to where Eclipsa went, and even longer to get to her and recover the wand. And from the looks of it, he handled the entire thing in a couple of hours.

-I'm...also impressed, Peter.- She finally replies. - You just saved us a lot of work. But, what about Eclipsa? What happened to her?

-I don't know. But she doesn't have any training in wandless magic, so I wouldn't worry much about her. She's probably gonna run off with her monster husband. You know, live happily ever after and such.

-I see.- Star gets up from her seat.- Gentlemen, the order of bussiness is settled, I presume. We must fix the kingdom's magical defenses and rebuild the town as our first priority. We must reassure the populace that there is nothing to fear. And Peter...- She turns her eyes towards him once again.- ...thank you.

 The elementalist does not respond, and instead nods respectfully.

-There will be plenty of work to be done, starting tomorrow.- Star concludes. -But right now, we should get our guest settled in the castle.

-No need, Queen.- Peter says. - I can handle myself. So, can I go now or what?

 

 The meeting comes to an end much sooner than anyone in it had expected. While the course of action to take after the kingdom itself is back on its feet is yet to be fully decided, it should take a while until that choice really needs to be made. Just as they leave the room, it's already night outside the castle. Tomorrow will be a tough day of work for everyone. Star and Marco retreat to their respective bedrooms, while Peter seems to leave the castle entirely. Given that he just appeared out of another dimension, Star assumed he was leaving Mewni for the night and returning in the morning. After all the worries she's had in the past few days, her wand's recovery at least calmed her down and allowed her to focus clearly on what has to be done. Right now, all she needs is a proper night of sleep.

\----

 Eclipsa quickly tenses up and firmly grips the magic wand in her hands. She hears steps approaching her position, slowly and steadily. A voice is heard in the distance, following behind them.

 

 I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sleep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

 

 Singing, the voice comes closer and closer. Whoever it was, it was most certainly aware of Eclipsa's presence. Those lyrics are insulting to her, after everything she has gone through. The loss of her kingdom, of her birthright, of her legacy. It was mocking her, and she couldn't handle it without feeling her own blood boil.

 

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing

But now the old queen is dead, long live the Queen!

 

One minute I held the key

Next the walls were closed on me

And I discovered that my castles stand

Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

 

 The male voice knows her so well. Who is it? Eclipsa can't recognize it for the life of hers, and its song is driving her mad. It reflects her so well: the tale of the rogue Queen, the royal who betrayed her kingdom for true love, a love that could never be, had she stayed in the throne beside her mewman king. The mighty fortresses of her supposedly unquestionable rule fell so easily in the end, and whatever it was that followed her, it was painfully aware of that. Eclipsa couldn't bear the pain of living through it all again, in the form of very detailed memories.

 -Shadow blast!- She screams, concentrating all her wrath into a single attack once she sees the humanoid figure turn the corner. Fractions of a second after, a fearsome explosion rocks the foundations of the temple. The entire building trembles, and for a second, it seems as if it is all about to come crashing down.

 Thankfully, the structure doesn't give in, and silence falls down upon the hall, just as dust from the blast covers Eclipsa's entire field of vision. Once it mostly clears, she can see that a wall of stone has formed where the figure stood, seemingly from the ground where it stands. Magic like that must be the work of an elementalist. It has been centuries since Eclipsa spoke to Elijah Thorenheim, the Fire Lord, and she knows that this could not possibly be his doing. As far as she knows, humans don't live for that long.

 Before she can even turn her head to see what's behind her, a punch is thrown. It doesn't hit her with devastating force, but the woman is not very strong without her magic, and certainly had no time to use a spell to defend herself. Uncapable of reacting, she falls onto the ground. The human figure picks up the wand she dropped, and as it touches his skin, it takes the shape of a much simpler wand, yellow, with no bell, looking like little more than a stick.

 -Ah, a proper wand for an Arcanist.- He states.- Simple and effective.

-W...who are you?- Weak and defeated, tears forming in the corners of her eyes from the physical pain she is enduring, Eclipsa questions her attacker.

-Ah, Eclipsa, the Queen of Darkness. A shame we must meet like this.

-How do you know who I am!?

-Come on now. Did you forget about the Thorenheims already?

-You. You're Elijah's what? Son? Grandson?

-More generations have passed than I can even account for. Shit. Time just really passes by, doesn't it? Anyway, it was kinda stupid of you to run away with the royal wand, no?- Peter turns his head to stare at the enormous crystal formation in which Globgor is trapped, and briefly passes his gaze through the infant, carelessly sleeping in the corner. If his guess was correct, that is Meteora right there. -Love makes you do some pretty retarded shit.

 He raises his right arm in the air, and the markings on both his upper limbs light up, as he casts a spell Eclipsa is entirely unaware of. Slowly, the crystal seems to melt away, turning into a white liquid that runs across the room. Finally, Globgor is free, and its massive body collapses under its own size and mass. He's way too weak to hold himself together, and it's likely being frozen for so long has left some damage that will take time to go away. From the looks of it, he's not even conscious yet. He turns his attention back to the woman, who is still struggling to get up.

-You got what you wanted.- He says. -Your husband here is free. Now, make sure to stay out of my way.

-I don't know what you're trying to do, but...

-Did I not make myself clear enough?- Up until that point, his voice seemed at least partially friendly. However, that sentence was spoken with pure, cold and unforgiving hatred. It terrified Eclipsa, who is powerless without her wand. - Out of my way. Now!

 

 There is no point in asking. This man, like every elementalist before him, is in service of the monarchs of Mewni. While all of them would easily switch sides and betray the kingdom's trust if given good reasons to do so, Eclipsa really had nothing to offer Thorenheim that could make him change his mind. He wasn't giving any answers, either. Carefully, she stepped aside, letting him through.

  -Wait!- Eclipsa shouts just as the man is about to leave her behind. -I...thank you.

-No need.- It's disturbing how he switches from a passive and neutral voice to wrathful displays of anger and back.

-Could you tell me your name, sorcerer?

-I guess I could. But then again, what difference does that make to you?

-To me?- She giggles.- I'd like to know the name of the man who defeated my magic. And who seems to know me so well.

-Wouldn't you now? Curiosity's great when it comes to detailed study of certain subjects, for sure. But I doubt it'd help you out now...- He moves back towards her.-...you ought to be more careful with what you wish to know.

 His stance is intimidating, to say the least. Eclipsa is genuinely scared that she might get herself hurt again. She's defenseless without her magic.

-Peter Thorenheim, yet to receive title.- He holds out his hand, and she respectfully shakes it. - Sorry if I was a bit...harsh. I guess I just got kinda worried with everything I've been hearing about your dark magic. Thought you'd try to corrupt me, or whatever the fuck.

-Oh.

-So, what's your plan now? Hang out around this old castle?

-No, I have no intentions of staying for too long. But I must await for my love to recover.- She glances back at Globgor's unmoving body. -How did you do that? I've been trying to break that thing for days!

-Meh. I got my methods.

-I suppose you'll be returning the wand to Star now.

-Star? Yeah, she owns it, I guess, but I'll just hand it out to Moon and let her sort it out.

-Haven't you heard, Peter? Moon's gone.

-Gone? As in, dead?

-No! I don't think so, at least. But she's missing.

-Well, you don't fucking say...- Peter can't help but to laugh. -Ah, this is just perfect!

-I know. For all the trouble I've had, Queen Moon knows how to lead her kingdom well. I'd dare say, better than I ever did.

-No, I mean, it actually is perfect!

-What? You're happy with the fact she's gone?

-She was a pain in the ass to work with. Don't even get me started. The kid's probably not gonna be that much better, but I'm really needing a change.

-You're mistaken. Star is young, but she's a strong one. I've seen so myself.

-Strong, maybe. But without experience ruling a kingdom, that can't be all too helpful. Also, didn't you steal this wand from her?

-She...- Eclipsa pauses, and thinks back to the battle at the Butterfly castle. -...she gave it to me.

-She gave it to you, huh? Now, THAT is interesting...

-And besides, I think you'll be surprised by what willpower can achieve, Peter.

-I wouldn't. Not in the slightest.- He smirks. -I know well enough what it can do. And I respect its force. That's exactly why I'm here.

-I, don't understand what you're telling me.

-Eclipsa, didn't you ever feel like there was something wrong with Mewni? Did you always wish the best for your people?

-I may have been selfish in my actions in the past. But I never wanted the people to suffer because of me.

-I'm half decent at reading people, and I'll say...what you're telling me seems like you mean it. Can't say for sure, but I'll give you the benefit of doubt. Assume you aren't a power driven mad woman.

-Hmm, thanks?

-Which is why I gotta tell you, you really cannot intervene on Mewni. Not until I can get everything settled. And if you come close, well...I'm gonna have to kill ya, you know? And honestly, I'm not sure I'd be ok with that.

-I understand. I don't plan on returning to the kingdom. That part of my life is over now, for better or worse...- Eclipsa's filled with determination, a desire to move on and to never look back. -But still I must ask: what are you up to? You'll betray the kingdom?

-Can't be a traitor if I never swore loyalty in the first place. And no, I don't plan on outright killing the royal family. I'm no revolutionary or anything. I just wanna give everyone a new...pespective, know what I mean? And then let them sort out what they should do.

-Perspective? I don't get it.

-Ah, yes. Mainly, about power. Oh, Power is so much better at corrupting the hearts and minds of angels than your darkest spells, Queen Eclipsa. So, personally, I'd be happier with everyone dealing with as little of it as possible, individually. Break the monster into as many shards as I can. Now...- He turns his back on her and walks away. -It was good talkin' to ya. Wish you the best of luck out there.

 As he leaves, she can still hear his voice echo throughout the temple.

 

It was a wicked and wild wind

Blew down the doors to let me in

Shattered windows and the sound of drums

People couldn't believe what I'd become

 

Revolutionaries wait

For my head on a silver plate

Just a puppet on a lonely string

Oh, who would ever want to be Queen?

 

Truth be told, this is exactly what she wanted. She had spent days trying to break the crystal prision of her lover, and now, at long last, he is free. Eclipsa had given up on the idea of ruling Mewni again long ago. All she wanted was to see the monster she gave her heart to once more. Everything she did up until that point was done with thst single goal in mind. And now, she can raise the daughter she never had the chance to before.

 Maybe, she could be happy again. Simply keep going, right from where her life just stopped, and remained stopped for over 300 years.

 

 


	3. Daddy Issues

River had searched every room in the castle and every street on the construction site that the town had become, yet his daughter, Marco and the elementalist were nowhere to be seen. Knowing the sorcerer as well as he does, River knew that the man would probably wander off into the plains surrounding the kingdom in search of wild beasts to combat for his amusement, or to maybe just "chill", as he puts it, anything not to do his job. What he did not expect at all was for Star and Marco to tag along. Star was the queen, a title that gave her responsibilities she could not ignore to go on some other adventure.

 So he was pissed. A lot.

 Needless is to say, River's relationship with Peter is, well, complicated. Most of the time, he would only talk to him briefly, saying little more than a polite "hello" and shake hands. Moon was the one that got to know him the best, and honestly, she painted no pretty picture of the guy: reckless, irresponsible and overall uninterested in his work. Despite that, he managed to pull off every mission he was given with reative ease. Skill? Luck? An odd yet successful combination of the two? River couldn't tell. From personal experience, he couldn't really say much about him, and his notion of what he was like came entirely from his wife.

 He decides to inspect around the cornfields, as it is likely that was his first stop before departing. Peter had a bit of an old habit: it was not rare for him to sneak into the farmlands and snatch some corn. In fact, that was the only thing River knew personally about him, as it was him that most times saw the elementalist from the castle, making his way across the field while stealing the food. Not nearly enough to cause any sort of shortage, to be clear. It was most likely he simply thought he could just eat the corn when he was hungry, without any need to ask permission.

 By far the most unprofessional elementalist to ever work for the Mewni royals. River, Moon and now Star were unfortunate enough to deal with him! He can still remember when two decades back, it was different. His grandfather, William Thorenheim, the Lord of the Depths, was a much more reasonable fellow to work with: the kind of professional, no-nonsense, straight to the point spellcaster the kingdom actually needed at the moment, even if he made the relations between the Butterflies and the Lucitors a living nightmare.

 As he searches around the cornfields, River is quite quick to notice the human emerging from the plantation holding a cob. He seems shortly surprised by seeing the King, but quickly loses interest.

-'Sup?- The elementalist greets in a monotone manner.

-God damn you to hell, Thorenheim.- River is visibly enraged at the human. -You're supposed to be defending this kingdom! What on Mewni are you doing here, and why did you drag my daughter out here with you for...

-Hey, slow down there.- Peter interrupts him. -I don't know what you're talking about, old man. I haven't seen Star since yesterday.

-But, you left the castle. She's not there.

-Yeah, I left 'cause I don't live there, you moron. And I was hungry. - He bites the raw cob and chews it with his mouth open, nearly spitting out bits of corn as he speaks. -Gotta hand it to you mewmans, this is some nice fuckin' corn right here.

-So you're stealing our corn because you're hungry? We have food in the castle, you know?

-Guess I prefer the fresh, ol' natural corn, right from the dirt. Turns out, you can't base a diet on Starbucks coffee. I should have seen that coming, to be perfeftly honest.

-Do you at least have any idea where Star is?

-Fucked if I know, man.- He swallows down.- Probably getting to third base with the Mexican kid off somewhere, if you ask me.

-You disgusting pig!- River closes both his hands with anger, shaking them violently, resisting the urge to punch the human in the face. It's one thing for him to mock the King, but a whole other thing for him to throw dirt at his daughter.

-Would you relax, River? I get that your parental instincts are kicking in, but this is all entirely natural. Teens want to fuck, explore their bodies, have a good time. Nothing to do about that. Besides, don't you trust Diaz? He seems like he can handle himself.

-You're sick, Thorenheim! And Marco's a good kid, that much I know, but Star and him are just friends.

-I wanna believe you, dude, I really do. But do you have any fucking idea how much this rings a bell for me? The white chick running off with some Latino guy is kind of a classic trope, back on Earth, you know?

-I despise you so much.

-And I should be concerned, because...?

-Ugh! You're not worth my hatred. And no, my daughter doesn't like the boy. It wouldn't make a bit of sense. She's dating Prince Lucitor.

 

 Peter's casual smile fades away instantly upon hearing that. However, mere seconds of thoughtful reflection after that, his smile is back, bigger than ever, and he drops the corn cob, breaking into laughter.

-HAHAHA! Oh, that's priceless! That is just fucking priceless! Some deep shit, I'd say! Your daughter, she...she's complicated, huh?

-What do you even know?

-I know enough about nobility to tell you that the monarch of a kingdom dating the future monarch of another kingdom, doesn't turn out so well. You realize that's a political shitstorm waiting to happen, right? Not to mention it's the Underworld, of all places!

-I know that!- River shouts right into his face, before backing down, breathing so loudly it seems like he's about to tear his shirt open and fight Peter to the death right by the cornfields.- I just...I don't want to intervene. Star's the queen now, and I need to trust her decisions. She already has enough pressure on her as it is, I can't just...

-Hey, hey, it's okay, River.- Peter puts a hand over his shoulder, as he realizes the King is about to break into nervous tears.- This isn't about Star, is it?

-W...what?

-Damnit, you fucking idiot, listen to me!- He puts both his hands on the mewman's shoulders and shakes his entire body. -I know that you're worried about Moon, and I get it: she's your wife, you love her. You can't bear the thought that she's out there in this wild crazy Multiverse and you're scared to death she's harmed. But we both know Moon, ok? She was a pain in my ass, and she is the woman you gave your heart to. You know she's tough! She doesn't take shit from the Universe, she gets back up and beats the ass of Reality to the ground! Whatever the cosmos throws at her until you find her, she will come back. You will see her again, and she'll be twice as strong as she was when she left! Until then, get your fucking shit together, because your daughter needs someone to look up to, not some good for nothing scumbag of a dad to frown at! Do you understand me?

 

 That was...intense, to say the least. This is not a conversation he thought he was prepared to have with Star herself, let alone Thorenheim. Yet the harsh tone of the sorcerer has given him some insight that he probably wouldn't get from a calm discussion with his daughter. He still has to talk to her about this, of course, even if only briefly, but mentally, he's much better prepared to do it now. Peter is as cold as stone when it comes to it, but he's right: right now, King River is the only one with the slightest of experience ruling a kingdom around to help. He's the only parental figure around. If he breaks down under the stress, then even with Marco's support, Star is going to break too. He's her father, and he needs to be there for her. He needs to show her how to be strong, so that she can be too, even in her dear mother's abscence.

 With burning determination carved into his eyes, the mewman king pulls himself together, wipes the tears that had begun to form in the corner of his eyes and looks deep into Peter' own. With a nod of approval, a devious smile appears where the frustrated frown of the human once stood. He lets go of River.

-That's more like it, old man.- He holds out his hand, which River shakes with a mighty willpower.

-You know what, Peter? We have our differences, and we had our troubles. Hell, I'm sure we'll have more in the future. But for what it's worth, you reminded me of my role here. Thank you.

-Hey, no problem. Glad I could help you sort some shit out. So...hate to break the environment, but I'm still not done with this corn.

-Oh, spare me!- River can't help it but to laugh. It seems he and the elementalist have a lot in common, after all: the urge to fight back, be strong, and most importantly, to get shit done. For as much as he misses Moon, and for as much as this discussion has changed his perspective on the issue, he's still taken back by the human's recklessness, that so clearly reflects his own. Fuck. Given enough time, maybe River can even grow to call him a friend.- I guess you'll never change, Peter. Come on! Let go of the crops and let's go have a proper meal back at the castle!

 

 As soon as he stops speaking, a fearsome explosion is both seen and heard near the castle, right next to the inactive force shield that surrounds the town.

-Puta que pariu.- Peter slaps his forehead in annoyance, as he prepares to start running across the plains and into the heart of the apparent attack.- Better run to the castle and grab yourself a battle axe, old man. Looks like breakfast is gonna have to wait.

 

\----

 

 Star shakes. Hers hands are sweaty, her heart is racing across her chest, and her eyes are as wide as her head, adrenaline rushing through her body. She tries to focus, breathe calmly, to see things more clearly. In her shocked state, that much relaxation is reachable, but hard to obtain. With enough willpower, she stops trembling, holds her chin high up and faces her enemy again. The battle must continue.

 Mina Loveberry, in her augmented form, is hurt. Severely hurt. Marco, despite being likely too weak to fight this battle with his punches and karate moves alone, stands by Star's side. Hekapoo points her two scissor blades in the fighter's direction, while Rhombulus prepares to use his powers and turn the mewman into a crystal if the situation gets dire. Omnitraxus surrounds her by blocking her way out, bending the fabric of space around the warrior in a way that confuses her, to the point that if she was to run towards Prime and charge him, she would do a full circle and return to her original position, despite moving only forward the entire time.

 Star just summoned a magical attack so fierce that even the nearly legendary warrior didn't resist its damage. "Damn, I am awesome!" A rogue thought crosses her mind. She did in fact get better since she last fought Mina in the monster temple. The power she just harvested and applied into her abilities must have been huge by comparison! Back then, her spells could barely even damage her. But now, she was closer than ever to falling down, defeated, unable to fight back. Her mind couldn't help it but to me overwhelmed with excitement at the thought of such a powerful foe turned into just another name in the list, another threat terminated, another once mighty opponent now begging at her feet for mercy.

 It...it's not like the Crown is affecting her, or something. Right?

 It is still not over. Despite not being in the same physical form as she was when the battle begun, Mina is now surely angrier than she was at the beggining of the fight. Her own magic engulfed her fists in blue flames, and she stood up once more, with some otherworldly determination in herself. Probably a broken rib or two, but looking just as willing to kick ass as ever. Even more, it seemed. Her outfit is dirty, her muscles are sore, and an open wound on her forehead pours out blood onto her face, yet her eyes shine with azure flames, a mad mind hiding beneath.

-Damn you, Queen Star!- She shouts. Her voice shatters the girl's ears, causing a slight nausea she overcomes quickly.- How could you be so foolish as to do what you have done? Can you not see the evils you are toying with!?

-Quit the act, Mina!- Star orders. - I should have known you were insane the moment I first laid my eyes on you, back on Earth. You don't have a place in Mewni, in my kingdom anymore! And I want you out of it. Forever.

-You're the ony fool here, stupid girl! Your pathetic utopian dreams, of monsters and mewmans living together, are what brought us all here in the first place. It's what got Eclipsa free, Meteora to tear Mewni apart and our people to suffer your short sighted decisions! You're nothing but a little brat. You don't deserve the throne, not in the slightest.

 

 Despite her attempt at breaking Star's spirit, Mina knows this is most likely the end for her. She hoped she could catch them by surprise, attack Star alone, maybe even kidnap the human boy to force her into surrender. But they were prepared. Star knew it was only a question of time until Mina came back, and only a question of time until she completely lost her mind. She never let het guard down, and it paid off. It is time to end it.

 And yet, despite all the trouble, and the voice in her head begging her to blast the warrior into the skies above, in order for her remains to rain down upon them once more, showering them with the bittersweet taste of a victorious battle, Star can't quite bring herself to use the final spell. To cast the final attack onto her rival, and end it once and for all. An opposing voice, just as imaginary as the first one, competes for a place in her mind, telling her it doesn't have to be like this. That Mina could change, if given enough time. As the battle went on, that voice got lower and lower, and now, it was almost entirely gone. One more word, one more petty swing at Star's pride, and the voice would be all but gone completely, and She would blast Mina away.

-I'll end this, here and now...- Mina finally spoke out.-...or die, here and now. For the honor of Mewni. For the honor of the kingdom, of the land, of our people! I. Will. End. You!

 

 Before Mina can begin her final assault, her final attempt at bringing Star down, a biting noise rings painfully into everyone's ears. It catches them by surprise, and unable to respond, they all stand passively, as disks made seemingly out of thin air slice their way across the battleground. Vortexes of oxygen, spinning at such high velocities that its sharp edges are but a few atoms thick. Despite being made out of air, they are like squashed orbs of wind, turning white in appearance and becoming clearly visible once close enough. At the speed of sound, maybe even slightly faster, they slice through Mina's now unprotected body. Her augmented form is in seconds covered in slashes, some only skin deep, others that go deep within her flesh, a few even striking her bones. She screams in pain, and in moments, an immense quantity of blood pours out of the dozens of wounds her body somehow managed to endure.

 Star lowers her wand, and races towards her. The members of the High Commission and Marco follow her. As they gather around, they see that the warrior's breath is out of control, first fast, then slow, then even slower. There is no way she could recover from such a devastating hit on her body. For all her strength, for all her pride, and for all her glory, the tale of Mina Loveberry is about to end. Here, and now. Such was the vow she herself had made.

-I guess...- She says between breaths and twists.-....I guess this is the end for me. You're mad, Star, but at least, you were a worthy enemy. I will surrender my body now. So that my spirit may find rest. Goodbye, Star. Mud. Sister...

 

 It is the final breath. She closes her eyes, and leaves her wordly form.

 Onto another world we go.

 Star is speechless. Born into a royal family, she spent her years fighting monsters, taming wild dangers and now, much more recently, training with magic. She has known loss before, but this was something else entirely. The demise of a sentient creature, even if a mad and dangerous one, brings sorrow to her young heart, even if only for an instant.

 After the initial shock, Star, Marco, Hekapoo, Omnitraxus and Rhombulus all raise their heads, looking in the direction of the cornfield. There, mere feet away from them, stands Peter Thorenheim, motionless. He raises his left arm over his waist, pointing into their direction, his marking still with a faint glowing from the cast spell. His attack was the last drop in the bucket, that pushed Mina over her edge, and made her surrender to her injuries. He was the one that ended the battle. The one that killed Mina. And that being the case, it was not Star Butterfly, Queen of Mewni, the one responsible for her death, at least not directly. It is a regaining of a certain innocence she hoped for long she wouldn't lose. She didn't want to.

-Did I come in time?- He questions, his voice clearly not shaken in the slightest by what just happened, simply curious to know.

-Yes, Peter.- Star responds, nearly whispering to herself.- Yes, you came just in time.

-AAAAHHHHH!- A war cry is heard from above. King River Butterfly, wielding a mighty steel shortsword and a metal helmet, jumps out from the castle's balcony and onto the silent battleground. That's quite a drop, one he struggled to pull off even in his younger years. His body would have shattered, were he not powered by an immense urge to fight at the moment. Everyone, except Peter, is surprised. His expression of bloodlust is quick to disappear, once he discovers that fighting is over.

-You are not in time, though.- Says Thorenheim.

-Oh...- River sighs.- That's too bad.

-Dad!- Star runs straight into her dad's open arms, and hugs him tight.

-Hey, my little cupcake!- He cheerfully hugs her back. -Sorry about being late and all. It took me a bit to find my sweet sword here.

-That's okay, dad.

-Listen, Star, there's something I really needed to tell you.

 

 He breaks the tender hug, and looks at her straight in the eyes.

-You're strong, Star. A thousand times stronger than I was your age. You have some might in you like I've seen in no one else, other than...your mom. Oh, I'm sorry, sweety. I'm sorry it took me days to figure out what I should do. Look at you now. You're the Queen! You're the last beacon of hope for this kingdom. And your mother would be so proud of you right now!

 

 His efforts are resilient, but in the end, a single tear falls from his right eye and across his cheek.

-Thanks, daddy.- Star responds, quite emotional herself.-I love you.

-I love you too, darling.

 

 Marco and the members of the High Commission share a soft smile and a look of "Awwww" in their faces, while Peter simply nods once again, acknowledging River's balls for finally sorting things out with his daughter.

-This was quite the battle, people.- Thorenheim announces, breaking what would have become an akward silence if it took seconds longer.- Now, I think I know what we all need: a proper fucking breakfast. I'm starving right now, and I don't feel like running back to your cornfields to get myself a snack.

 

 Within less than ten minutes, they are all inside the castle, or, well, what remains of it, sitting across the large table of the dining hall. River seats at the head, bragging to Rhombulus about his daughter's courage. Star herself is sitting besides Marco, and Peter between Hekapoo and Omnitraxus, digging into his plate like a wild animal. Cake for breakfast is not something that can be done every single day, but just this time, Star's glad she authorized it. To hell with it, she's the Queen. She could do this every single time if she wanted to. Servants took care of Mina's body, putting it away. Would there be a funeral? It seemed appropriate, despite everything, at least to Star it did.

-So, Star...- Peter takes a break from his savage rampage, and for once addresses her without having his mouth full of cake.- What do you think of the new quirks?

-What?- She asks, confused.

-Ah, fuck! I forgot to tell you! Before I gave you the wand, I gave it a little touch of my own, you know? Just a little bit of my personal covering. From the looks of that sweet ass explosion, I'd say you handled it just fine.

 

 Star is taken by surprise, as is the entire room. Peter used his enchantments on the royal magic wand? And it worked? It really made the wand more powerful!?

 Before she can even think twice about what that implies, she and Marco, as well as her dad, Peter and the Commission, see a dimensional hole tear itself open in the room's floor. An Underworld carriage emerges from it, and the door is soon opened.

-Starship, I'm back! You will not believe how hard it was to convince my mom not to meet you right away. And did you know Brian was...

 

 He stops dead in his track, as he leaves the carriage. His entire body shakes, before his eyes turn red and glowing with anger. He looks at the table, specifically, at the human.

-Thorenheim....- He whispers, his fists closing and his teeth grinding against one another.

-Oh. Hi there, Thomas.- The elementalist greets him, not disturbed in the least.- Been waiting for you, my nigga. What took you so long?

 

 


	4. Old Disputes

The man stops. His screams' echoes can still be heard throughout the endless expanse of the underground environment. The red skies above turned slightly closer to white due to all the light that was released during the fight, and are now beggining to switch back to their natural color. For the first time in what must be centuries, all of the Underworld's fire is dead, if only for a few seconds. The fire elementals likely took it all with them after the link with their home Plane was shattered and they were forced to return. His breath is heavy, his clothes are dirty and torn apart, his chest completely exposed, protected only by the elemental magic he can still employ. The burning heat was something he could bear throughout all the battle, but now, it is a heavy burden to carry. His gaunlets are still glowing bright. Blood pours out of the open wounds on his forehead, chest, back and legs. Sweat runs down his body, and despite being calmer, if also weaker, his expression still displays all of his scorching hatred, sorrow, confusion, disgust, a primal fire that burns so deep within him he cannot fully comprehend it. Only the source: Raknaresh.

 In front of him, the demonic creature is lying on the ground, nearly drowning in a pool of its own blood. If he was damaged by the fight, the Underworld being was so to a much greater extent. Covered in scars, wounds that can be noticed even on his entirely red skin. His breath is so slow the sorcerer could swear he was dead. But alas, the creature still lives. The lesser demons look shocked, a fear of death is clearly visible in their eyes, as they look to the Lucitor castle ahead. The black defense towers are gone, completely. The infrastructure is so badly damaged it looks like the entire fortress is about to fall apart. The creatures of the Underworld, they fear death. Did he just make the inhabitants of hell fear death?

 The kind of force the elementalist just summoned...it was something like he had never done before. A power he knows that is not described in the Tome at all. So many elementals were called to the Underworld, from all Elemental Planes. Hundreds, from the looks of it. How could his body even endure such a flow of magical energy? How is he not dead!?

 

 No point in arguing with himself. The demons gather around both him and Raknaresh. The infernal being finally looks up. Not with fear, not with disgust, not even with a melting anger in his eyes that could mirror the elementalist's own. Just an expression of sorrow. Defeat. Disappointment.

-Where is she?- Between breaths, the human spellcaster interrogates the subjugated entity, who faces him with a cold dead stare. The wrath inside him bursts. -Where is she!? WHERE IS MY WIFE!?

 

 Raknaresh looks unfazed for a few moments, as if he didn't even hear the human's question. After long and torturing seconds, a malevolent smile slashes across the beings' beaten, weak and exhausted face. The sorcerer knows the answer before it is given.

-Grinded.

 

 Time comes to a freezing halt. Everything: the Underworld, the lesser demons, the castle, the reamnants of an epic battle now over. It all disappears. All there is now is his body, also beaten. Also weak. Also exhausted.

 He is too late.

 -No. No...- He collapses onto his knees, and tears form in the corners of his eyes. His mind replaces all around him with void. Mere black and never ending void. Even his foe seems to leave this mental construct of a realm. A voice echoes through it.

"I love you, William."

 The illusion takes only a minute, and after that, he's back to the real world. The real flaming hellish world.

-Do what you will, human.- Raknaresh's voice breaks his thoughts. If the rage he called upon before to open up a dimensional rift was nothing to frown at, now he felt like he could summon the entire population of the Elemental Planes to this dimension, to rip every particle from his opponent's body, in the most gruesome and painful way his mind could possibly imagine.- It is all but irrelevant now.

 

 Hopes of an entire lifetime. Gone. Hopes of a better future, one where he could make it work. Where he could fix everything that was wrong between him and the woman he chose to spend the rest of his life with. Gone. And of course, she herself is gone. For real.

Gone. It's all fucking gone.

 William wipes away his tears and sweat, his arms all but ignite in azure flames that then engulf his entire body. The flow of magical energy is back, and it feels stronger than ever. It must be directed somewhere fast, or else his body may not be able to contain it.

\- I hold in me the wrath of Man...- He begins to cast a spell to end this battle once and for all. All of his being, all of his magic, all of his hatred. Everything used into one single blow. - Of scorching endless flaming Pain, that Lords and peasants of realms below, my own take to be their Bane!

 

 His gaunlets no longer simply glow. They shine, the magic contained within them so fierce it bursts out lighting, erupting bolts of energy that leak from his body as it prepares to cast the spell.

\- I hold the hearts of Fallen Angels, of Righteous creatures gone astray, I call for powers hidden deep, within myself to guide my way. Lead me to their evil Torment, the Fire its Soul puts to waste. Tear it open, build it anew, Lord, show me that which I must face!

 

His spell calls out to a God that likely doesn't exist. Why is it working, then? What powers, what incomprehensible beings find it funny to acknowledge a false god? Could it be that they are entertained by this fight, and that they've decided to pay back for all the amusement this confrontation has given them? It's quite hard to tell honestly. But right now, it doesn't matter. None of it. The only thing that matters is that the spell is taking effect.

 It's time to end this.

-Your Blinding Light shall guide my hand, onto the Lake of Fire's Breath, your humble vessel begs of you! BREAK THE MORNING STAR IN HALF!

 

 Who even knows how much energy he is about to use? It will be enough. Enough to avenge her. Enough to free the world of this abomination. He claps his hands together, and shoots out a beam of white light directly onto Raknaresh.

 The impact sends both him and all lesser demons flying back.

 

\----

 

 Tom is thrown at an unbelievable speed into the dinning hall's wall. It breaks, and his body continues its path upwards, until it finally begins to fall down to the ground again. When he lands, a small crater forms around him, as he remains motionless on the grass.

 Honestly, it is surprising that the castle managed to take another hit and still hold on like that. One would think that after all the blows the castle had to endure, a hole of that size in another section would at least make one of the prime towers collapse. Apparently, they were lucky.

 The magic high commission, Star, Marco and River look shocked, but follow Peter as he casually makes his way to the castle's lower floor, exits the building and then meets Tom outside. Despite taking a few minutes to reach him, the demon is still where he landed when he arrives.

-Boy, that was over a bit earlier than I expected.- He says as he approaches Lucitor.- So, now that you got that anger out of your system, wanna talk?

-Go. Away.- The demon boy replies coldly through debilitating pains across his entire body.

-Who's gonna make me, Lucitor? You? You're done, son.

-Peter, was that really necessary?- Hekapoo frowns at him.

-Well, it was either a hole in the wall or the whole thing going up in flames. So, yeah, I guess it was really necessary.

-Screw you, Thorenheim!- Tom eventually stands up, still visibly in pain from the blast.

-Peter! Tom!- Star yelled.- Damn it, you two. Did you really have to fight in the castle?!

-Haha. Old habits, Queen. Old motherfucking habits...

-I need to rest.- Star sighs, giving up on trying to get Peter and Tom to get along.

-What about them?

-I don't know! Just...keep them separated, ok!?

 

 It was not the calm, all bussiness day Star had expected it to be. She decided to try to distance herself from the effect Mina's death was having on her and the added weight of Tom and Peter's fight. She spent the day speaking with the knights, overseeing the town's reconstruction from above, and besides that, she basically didn't leave her room for the rest of the day.

 Everyone was tense except for Peter. He seemed to shake off the fight as if it never happened, jokingly talking with Lucitor like they were friends, as the Prince nearly bursted into flames again and started attacking him once more. The Magic High commission did a solid job at keeping them apart after they noticed how good the elementalist was at pissing him off, and so, they decided to keep them at different ends of the castle.

 Marco was confused, more than anything. The short fight between the human and Lucitor was pretty cool. Tom launched an outburst of flames that the elementalist countered with a well executed attack that built up a defensive bubble of air around him, and then exploded the bubble, sending a strong wind across the entire hall. It blew out all the small fires his foe's offense started across the room. It shook everyone inside, and it gave him the perfect chance to do it again, but this time focusing all the air in Tom's direction. That was the hit that sent him flying.

 After they were separated by the commission, Marco was left alone with River.

That led to a long, akward and entirely avoidable conversation between the two, that mostly boiled down to River giving Marco some sort of speech about the importance of Star's relationships with other people, namely the elementalist, The Underworld Prince and himself. At some point pretty early on in the conversation, he could tell River was just pulling stuff out of his butt in order to make a point. Marco considered himself decent at reading between the lines, and he knew that that discussion basically could be put into a single command: "Don't fuck with my daughter". Both in the literal and metaphorical sense of it. Clearly, River had spent too much time with Peter already, and it's only been a day since he got here. What ideas did that guy get into the King's head?

-Star?- At the end of the afternoon, Marco softly knocks on her bedroom's door.

-You can come in, Marco.- He opens up the door as soon as he hears her voice. Once inside, he's quick to notice how frustrated Star looks, with her head buried in her hands, as she sits in her bed.

-So...I hate to make you feel even more pressure. I get that you're in a lot of stress, given everything.- He apologizes, not very smoothly.- But, what the heck happened back there?

-Ugh. It's cool, Marco. Don't worry about it.- She chuckles. -It's just that the Thorenheims and Lucitors don't really get along, you know?

-Oh. But, why?

-Because the first elementalist kinda stole the Underworld's research on elemental magic. It's a long story, really.

-Ok. But if that's the case, why are you so frustrated?

-I'm dealing with a lot of problems right now, Marco. And I'm mad 'cause my friend and my hired mercenary just decided to fight in my castle! Honestly, there's just no professionalism here! How am I supposed to manage the kingdom's reconstruction if I have to deal with the two of them acting like spoiled children!? I mean, I get that their families have hated each other for centuries, but they can't even talk about it like civilized...

 

 Marco is honestly lost at that point. He just sits on Star's bed by her side and stares at her, but his minds is elsewhere entirely, really. Did she just call Tom a "friend"? Isn't he supposed to be her boyfriend? At first, he thinks she just got her words wrong, given that she was really venting out all of her frustration onto him as a way of letting go of the burden. But she stammered before saying "friend", as if unsure of what to call Tom by. Now, that didn't make any sense at all. He is her boyfriend, right? Why would she refer to him like that?

 There's no denying things have been akward between the three of them lately. Between Marco kissing Star in the photo booth, Meteora's attack, and Tom fighting along with Marco to stop her, there's a lot between them that should really be discussed and there simply hasn't been any chance to. Things can't stay like that forever, that much they're all aware of. At some point, they'll need to talk.

-Listen, Star...- Marco tries to cut her off without coming across as too rude. With enough luck, without making it look like he didn't hear half of what she just said.- I guess we're all under a lot of stress right now. You, mostly. I think we should just relax a bit, you know? We had to deal with Mina, and now this...I get that you have responsibilities with the kingdom, but I'm thinking this may be too much to handle all at once. You might pass out from so much stress.

-I get what you're saying, Marco, and I really, really, really want to. But how can I? I mean, look!- She points towards her window, and to the not-even-ten-per-cent-of-halfway-built town below. -I have to coordinate ALL of that. And that takes time.

-Still, we need to open up some free time. Everyone needs a break.

-You're right. As always.- Star gives him a friendly hug. -Thanks for being here for me, Marco. I don't think I could handle all of this without you.

-No problem, Star.

-Hey, people!- Without warning, the door swings open. It's Peter. Star instinctively lets go of Marco, probably thinking it was Tom for a second. - Come on, it's dinner time.

-Peter, didn't you learn how to knock!?

-Well, didn't you learn not to leave people hanging around the dinner table? Everyone's waiting for you two. Get your asses back to the hall.

 

 Star and Marco found that the hole from earlier had been very poorly hidden with some wallpaper that just barely managed to resemble the color of the walls surrounding it. Still, other than that, the place looks perfect: the table is set and there is room for 8 people in it. Hekapoo, Rhombulus, Omnitraxus, River and Tom had already taken their places, and Peter takes his own as soon as he gets there. Far too close to the demon prince, if you ask anyone else.

 It was also a fairly akward meal. Friendly talk between the high commission members, a few discussions about the kingdom's state of affairs, as well as a few of Peter's extremely inappropriate jokes were the only thing that broke the silence. Despite trying to get a hold of himself, Thomas couldn't help it but to laugh at a few of them. He made his laughter clearly heard when Peter took advantage of the situation to tell stories of how back on Earth, a kingdom in this state was sure to disappear in no time. Star, however, felt very disturbed by how light hearted the sorcerer seemed while telling tales about the fall of empires, corruption consuming them from within, and the death of monarchs: almost giving the impression that, if given enough of a good reason, he would slit Star's throat himself.

 Maybe it is just her paranoia speaking. Peter's certainly capable of some morally questionable things, but she thought it was unlikely it would ever come to that point. It's hard to even imagine the line of events that would inevitably lead to that kind of a situation. Still, it was hard for her to sit through the entire thing. And the worst thing is, she can't tell him to just shut it, because he wouldn't listen. He never listens! He would probably just reply with a passive-agressive "Fuck off", and then bail on Mewni to do something else. He is here just for the money, but he doesn't seem to be willing to do much to get it. And from the looks of it, he's really abusing the fact that Star needs every bit of help she can get at the moment.

 After the uncomfortable dinner, Star said good night to both Tom and Marco before retreating back to her room. Besides her need to convince Tom to never attack Thorenheim again, at least not on Mewni, she would also have to talk to Peter about his "adjustments" to the wand.

 It was a hard day, there's no getting around that, but if anything, she needs to forget about it. She's the queen, and right now, she needs to focus on her kingdom and her people. Otherwise, Mewni won't ever recover. There will be plenty of time to fix the situation in the castle itself after that.

 

\----

 

-Caralho, Peter. Why do you do this to yourself?- The elementalist said to himself as he approached the cornfields.-Why do you steal corn when there's food in the castle?

 

 It's about 3 AM, if he's not mistaken. Everyone in the castle ought to be asleep right now, so he doesn't really make any efforts to hide himself. Besides, it's hard to maintain a low profile when you're running around a field like a madman eating raw corn. The night sky is amazing: all the planets, asteroid belts and the few stars shining between the gaps are pretty to look at, that much Peter can't deny.

-Doing some stargazing, Thorenheim?- A familiar voice asks.-Oh, wait. No, you're just raiding the corn again.

-Hey, fuck you too, Glossaryck.- He turns back to face the small humanoid blue being, floating in front of him. -You know that the castle cooks are shit. I left that table hungrier than when I sat down. It's madness!

-You don't need to tell me. The pudding's pretty sweet, though.

-I guess.

-So, you must have a lot of questions for me. I will have you know that...

-Questions? No, not really.

-What!? But, what about Eclipsa? Don't you want to know what happened to her? How I knew you'd be here now, and why I wanted to meet you?

-Glossaryck, let me ask you something. You know, from guy to guy.- He pauses to bite the cob he holds. -Do you honestly, genuinely believe that I give the slightest of a fuck about Eclipsa? I know she's not dead, little man, not with that pile of muscles on her side. And even if she didn't have Globgor, she'd be just fine. I can tell she's not one to surrender. What, you're gonna tell me all about how she found a nice home on a monster village and she's living the life deep down she always knew she wanted? Good for her, sure, but I got my own problems.

-No need to be so unpleasant, Peter. Has Star been giving you any trouble?

-Not more than the Queens of Mewni usually provide us elementalists by mere virtue of existing. To be honest, I kinda like her. I haven't had the chance to see her outside the political mask, but I heard she's the wild type. Fighting monsters, taming wild beasts, running across dimensions and living the life. I respect that. And since I'm being upfront with you, I'm actually sorry for her. She lost her mom, and now she has to deal with being Queen while she's still a teenager.

-Moon's not gone yet.

-I know. But that isn't much helpful now, is it? You can't even convice her and River she's alive for sure, everyone's just expecting the worst.

-And what about you, Peter? Do you care if Moon dies?

 

 A very brief moment of silence passes. Peter and Moon were basically enemies bound by paper. Everything the Queen stood for, every action she took, every thought she had, he had one opposing it. Things between the Thorenheims and Butterflies were never truly friendly, but they also probably weren't as cold as the two had been when they were forced to work together out of necessity. Still, Peter has some degree of respect for Moon's courage and determination, even if it so often stood in his way in the past. And Glossaryck knows that.

-I see.- Glossaryck nods.

-And as for your second question, it was pretty obvious you would try to talk to me here. You always knew about my night life out here, in the "Great, Wide Open" backyard of the Butterfly castle.

-Ha. Two in a row, I suppose.

-Sadly, I really can't get my finger on that third asnwer at the moment. So, tell you what, my friend: you got my attention. What did you want to talk to me about? The current condition of Mewni?

-I'm not really concerned about the current state of things. They look a bit rough, but I know for sure Star will manage everything. I have no doubt in my mind.

-Do you believe you were a good teacher?

-I tried my best. I think I made very good progress with her. Maybe even more than I did with her mother.

-I get what you're saying, Glossaryck. They grow up so fast. But still, if that's not it, what is this all about?

-Well, after Eclipsa left the monster temple, she asked me not to follow. I really have nowhere else to go, so I thought I'd stop by. Make a quick visit.

-To Star?

-No. To you.

-Oh, me!? Why, Glossaryck, what an honor. The most powerful magical entity in the Universe wants to talk with me?

-I will admit, I'm sort of interested in your angle here. What are you up to?

-What I'm up to? That's one I get asked all too frequently. I guess you could say I'm a Chaotic Neutral when it comes to political rule, and a little part of me wants to burn down the Butterfly castle...- He looks back at the fortress for reference. -...but at the same time, I feel like Star did earn herself a place as Queen, at least more so than I expected. Things are looking pretty good under her control, much better than I had expected a 15 year old to handle a nation before I came here. I was thrown off guard, really. So, I think I'll be playing the long game for a while. See where this goes. You'll do the same, no?

-My duties to Star Butterfly are over now. She's passed my tests, bested her opponents and made clear she is fit to rule the kingdom. And while Eclipsa was a close friend of mine, she asked me not to intervene in her escape. She must have been really determined to move on.

-So you got no place to stay, huh? And no place left to go to?

-Correct. I am now a wanderer, in this vast Multiverse. I must await to see what the future holds for me.

-Ah! Fuck that, dude.- With his magic, Peter tears open a dimensional portal without the use of his emergency scissors. -Because right now, I think I know exactly where you need to be.


	5. Bussiness as Usual

The two of them sit on top of the Clock Tower, overlooking the city of London. It is a very warm night, and the night sky is clear in the urban area. The countless stars, however, are hidden by the city's light, even from so far above the ground. After the last few weeks, it feels good to be on Earth again. Far too much time was spent wandering aimlessly between dimensions, desperately looking for something to distract his mind. Hell, that encounter with Hekapoo was most certainly one to forget. How could he have been so foolish? One of these nights, sitting alone with his best friend, is exactly what he needed. How couldn't he see that before?

-I'm not sure we should be here.- She states.

-Don't worry about it.- The spellcaster replies, focusing his gaze turned to the landscape. -I can takes us back down, if you're feeling uncomfortable.

-Uncomfortable? Never.- She stretches her arms and looks up to the heavens. - Being here is delightful.

-You think so?

-For me, at least. But I understand your lack of admiration, William. You've seen this world and many more. Being a few meters above ground level in your home city isn't much of an adventure for you.

-Forget all about adventures for now. I think I need some time here, on Earth.

-It's been difficult for you, hasn't it?

-Yes.

 

 Silence. Of course, it's been difficult. It's been tortuous. Carrie is gone. She's not coming back, ever. She and William will never get a chance to be together again, like he had always dreamed of. All because of the Underworld's attempt at breaking the Thorenheim family apart. Raknaresh grew far too bold after Eliza's passing. And now, he finally had to pay for his lack of focus. He's also gone. If anything, the Lucitors were far more damaged by this petty struggle than the elementalist was. He's still alive, and as far as the bloodline is concerned, that's all that matters.

But, that's not actually all that matters.

-Why didn't you come back before?- She questions, an overwhelming guilt washing over her.

-I...I felt like I needed some time alone.

-I'm sorry. I know I'm not good dealing with these sort of things.

-No. Don't blame yourself.- William looks back at her. -You've always been there for me, Sarah. I was the one that didn't want to talk to you. After the battle, I didn't think you even wanted to see me again.

-I was worried sick about you. You scared me, Will.- Her voice is broken, defeated. -You were so diffferent. You seemed like a man possessed. When I looked you in the eyes before you left, I couldn't even see you anymore. All I saw was, was...

-Death. Anger.

-Hatred. I never saw you like that before. I swear that I could feel the magical energy pouring out of you, warming the air around you.

-I think I've already grown past that. I was imprudent. I acted without thinking, and if maybe I had stopped for a second to actually try to figure out what to do, maybe I could have done it. Maybe I could have saved her.

-Don't think about that. You did all you could. You literally went to Hell and back to get her, and I know she would have done the same for you without hesitation. What you two had, it was...magical.

 The woman puts a hand on his shoulder, and smiles tenderly.

-Carrie was very lucky to have someone like you.- She says.- And, I'm also really lucky to have someone like you.

-You're wrong, Sarah.- He smiles back. - I am the one that's lucky.

 

 The two share a hug, and their attention briefly diverges from their conversation. It feels good to be back, and it feels good to know that there is a way of moving on. Even if deep down, he knows that Carrie was the only woman he could ever love.

-So...- Sarah breaks the embrace, embarassed. -What will happen to the Thorenheims now?

-Now? Nothing, I suppose. There really isn't a problem. I'm alive. Without Carrie, I must figure out a way to sustain the bloodline. Needless is to say, I'll have to resort to someone else.

-Have you thought of anyone?

-No. There's simply so few people outside the family I can trust to know the truth, even fewer I could ever consider for something like this.

-I see.

-But I'll think of something, eventually. For now, I doubt the Lucitors will try anything.

-But the Butterflies won't be too happy about you killing Raknaresh, will they?

-Not in the slightest. But I can deal with them.

 

 It's been what, 5 years? Sarah could never have imagined the world she now knows for sure that is real before she met William. Countless worlds, waiting to be explored, settled, conquered! She's been with him across multiple such places, and she even managed to help him during a few fights along the way. William can summon powers Sarah can't even fully understand. William himself has his own doubts about them. However, she is much more skilled when it comes to traditional combat. With a shortsword and the element of surprise, a few of the enemies he faces with his magic, she can also defeat with her own set of cards up her sleeve. Only a few of them, though. It's not like she ever has any hope of defeating William in a one-on-one fair battle. We're talking about generations of Arcane knowledge within a single mind. Sarah struggled to stand against a single Earth Elemental when William offered to help her train, let alone fight an army on hundreds of them all at once.

 Even so, their relationship is not about combat support. The elementalist can handle himself quite well, and so can Sarah. When she first met him, she was quick to see in him an adventurous spirit. A kind, or at least well intentioned soul, someone she would grow to call her best friend in the world. What they have is unlike anything regular people usually have. They're bonded.

 Not by love. Sarah is fairly certain she doesn't feel that way about him, and William's heart belongs to someone else, even if that someone is gone now. They're bonded by trust. Honor. Friendship. Something that, in a way, is just as strong as love can be.

-Come on.- She gets up and looks down to her friend.- Let's get out of here.

-And go home?

-Do you even hear yourself? The night is still young.- She smiles deviously.- I was thinking we could go to the pub. Maybe even...

 

 The two of them are surprised to hear some scream for help down below. It's hard to tell, but it looks like a woman is being robbed.

-Or...- William continues. -...we could play the heroes.

-Yes.- Sarah concludes.- I'd actually like that.

 

 Home, sweet home.

 

\----

 

 Star wakes up early to check on the town. Manfred is quick to point out the progress, but just as quick to pay attention to the fact there's still a long way to go. Picking up building materials from the Forest of Certain Death with the help of the knights is an enormous pain in the ass, as one would expect. Every mewman is helping however they can, but it's expected to take at least a couple of weeks before most habitations are finished and everyone currently staying in the castle can return home. The Magic High Commission is also working around the clock to get the force shield around the kingdom to work again.

 Overall, Star is satisfied with how things are looking. After that petty fight in the castle, it's nice to know most people are actually focused in getting Mewni back on its feet. Nearly everyone is, in fact. Everyone, except for Peter.

-So, did any of you see Peter?- Star questions the High Commission members, as they prepare to leave the castle.

-Not since yesterday, no.- Rhombulus replies.

-I doubt he's even in Mewni at all.- Hekapoo continues.- He's probably back on Earth, doing whatever pointless thing you can imagine.

 

 Star sighs. Should she even bother trying to look for him? What good can he do? Moon spent a few years working with him, sending him off across dimensions on a multitude of quests. If she recalls correctly, Peter actually helped Hekapoo deal with rogue magic users leaving dimensional portals across the multiverse a couple of times. So he has to be useful for something, right? Why else would her mother agree to hire him?

 Her chain of thoughts is interrupted just as a portal appears in the hall's ground, and a familiar carriage pulled by skeleton horses emerges through it. Omnitraxus, Rhombulus and Hekapoo know that to be their time to leave.

 

-Good morning, Star.- Tom casually exits his ride, which falls back onto the portal and disappears as soon as he does so.

-Hi, Tom.- She politely greets the demon prince.-So, are you still feeling sore?

-No, I'm fine.- Tom akwardly looks to the hole in the wall from yesterday, and back towards the mewman.-How are things going around here?

-Everything's in order, for now. Construction's going smoothly, but it will still take a lot of time.

-Good. Good.

-Listen, Tom. It's good that you came, because I really needed to talk to you.

 

 The prince's third eye opens wide in surprise. He doesn't think Star can tell, but he's nervous. They're not about to have "The Talk", are they? Because despite going over this conversation time and time again in his head for the past few days, Tom is not ready to have it yet. Best case scenario, he will make a scene. Worst case scenario, he will make one hell of a scene.

-It's about your fight with Peter the other day.

"Thank the gods!" His subconscious is quick to celebrate.

-Yeah.- Hiding his relief, he addresses the Queen as professionally as he can. Which isn't much so.-I'm sorry about that.

-I know you are, Tom, but you need to understand that this is really important, ok? I get that you hate Peter. I'm not very fond of him either. But I can't have you fighting in Mewni ever again. Not only will you two mess up the place, you might get him to leave for good. And I need all the help I can get right now.

-You're right. I guess that Peter didn't really do anything bad to my family himself. I probably should go easy on him.

-Going easy on him?!- Star playfully punches Tom in the shoulder. -He should go easy on you, the way I see it! He kicked your butt the other day, don't you remember?

 

 Tom is glad things aren't uneasy between the two of them. Well, they are, but not as much as he thought, if Star is willing to act like this. He laughs.

-Ah, come on! He got me by surprise, ok? I could totally take him out.

-You wanna bet on that, bro?- A familiar southern European voice asks, and the two jump in surprise, turning around to confirm their theory. It's no one other than...

-Peter!- Star shouts to the elementalist, who's just standing there with two coffee cups in his hands.-Where the heck did you come from!?

-From the same kind of place you did, I suspect. So as to say, none of your bussiness, your Highness.- He takes a sip from the cup in his right hand. They didn't even hear a portal opening, how did he do that?! - I know what you're thinking. Why the fuck am I drinking Starbucks coffee, like some hipster faggot? Short answer, we all have our guilty pleasures. Don't worry, it's just for the taste. I stay awake through sheer. Willpower. Alone.

 

 Thankfully, Tom can resist the urge to start throwing fireballs at him. He doesn't hide a look of disgust, but he can make it through the interaction without letting it escalate into a physical confrontation.

-Hey, Star.- Marco enters the hall through the main door, looking at a couple of papers in his hands. -I was just outside talking to the workers, and turns out we're having trouble getting the stone we need. I think you...

 He looks up and instantly goes quiet. Star tries to force a smile to hide the immense tension in the room. Tom just stares back at him, his anger seemingly vanished, and replaced with sheer confusion.

 After the whole thing with Meteora, none of the three really got a chance to talk about what happened. The kingdom falling apart was enough of an excuse to keep everyone busy for a while, but their time has apparently run out. Someone has to say something.

 Marco thinks briefly about getting out. Confronting Tom right now doesn't sound like a good idea in any way. He was cool during the fight, but now that the adrenaline driven battle is over and no one is under any danger, Marco gets the feeling Tom will just jump right at him and beat him senseless. He could defend himself, but getting into a fight with him right in front of Star will not make things any better, for anyone.

 "Just punch him in the face, I guess." Tom considers silently. Marco is a friend, he really is. He and Star make up basically his entire close social circle, and it's not like he wants things to be in bad terms between them. But he kissed his girlfriend! That's just not something you do. Tom really did mean what he said back during the fight, Marco really is his best friend. But that's just another reason why what he did has no excuse.

 Star is sweating nervously. She's being confronted with feeling that she cannot fully comprehend, and that she didn't think she had until that damn night in the photo booth. What is happening?

-Boy, I can feel a LOT of sexual tension in this room...- Peter points out. It makes Marco and Tom take a step back in surprise, but Star just gets red with anger. Before she can raise a finger and respond, he continues. -Anyway, glad you're all here. Guess who I found?

 

 A blue humanoid levitates out of the coffee cup in his left hand. What the...!?

-Glossaryck?- He is soaked in coffee, but Star could recognize him anywhere.

-Surprise!- The being shakes off some of the liquid in his body and robe.

-Where have you been?!

-I know, right? It's crazy. - Peter cuts off. -Motherfucker and I met in the cornfields, and I took him on a trip around Earth.

 

\----

 

 Sam prepares to go out into stage and give the people what they came here for. Ze has been planning this session for weeks, and right now, nothing can make zer back down. A round of applause washes over zer as soon as ze approaches the podium. Time to give an inspiring speech!

 -Dear fellow students, welcome to the annual gathering of our University's Student Union!- The cheers mostly vanish when ze begins speaking, and the crowd focuses on Sam's words. -As you all know, my name is Sam, and I'm proud to be your host for this year's meeting. This year, our school was rated as the highest achieving University in our state, and we did so because we can provide a safe and familiar space for all people to work towards their goals without fear of discrimination. Together, we've made this place a beacon of unity, and I couldn't be happier with the results. Thanks to our work fighting bias, prejudicial stereotypes and unfair school policies that affect minorities, we have truly made this a diverse, safe environment for everyone!

 

 Nods of approval and a few more cheers echo throughout the auditorium. The crowd is pleased.

-Let us now turn our attention to this short film we have made that demonstrates the several ways we have changed our University for the best over the last years, and reflect upon all that happened.

 

Sam moves back into the backstage. Ze thinks about watching from behind the curtain, but zer nerves are piling on top of zer. Apparently, zer rhetoric was good enough to keep everyone interested, but ze's not so sure this boring film summarizing an entire year can do the same, even if everyone working on it tried their best to make it as short and straight to the point as possible. As the projector comes to life the giant screen displays...

Huh? What!?

How!?

Who!?

Why!?

 Zer heart sinks as ze sees that the biggest mistake of her life is what is actually being played, instead of the film ze and zer friends spent weeks perfecting for this event. The loud moans of zer recorded past self fly across the room, and the crowd looks petrified in sheer horror, shock, surprise.

 No one notices that small, nearly invisible camera carefully placed in the corner of the room, watching over the entire auditorium.

 Meanwhile, in the parking lot outside, Peter and Glossaryck sit inside a pick up truck that's parked there, watching the whole thing through a tablet on Peter's hand.

-One hell of a way to fuck someone's reputation, right?- He smiles malevolently to the small magical being.

-I gotta admit, this is painful to watch!- Glossaryck says, between laughs. -But, why did we do this anyway?

-Not that is quite a story, my friend. It begins 10 years ago with this whole clusterfuck called "Stock Crash"...

-You're really going to make me sit through ten years of this nonsense?

-Ah. Just as I always says: if your story doesn't start with the Big Bang, you're not telling the full story. But long story short, this is all about a debate on Twitter and a "Hashtag Boycott". I'll explain it to you some other time. Right now, we should get outta here.

-Why?

-That's why.- Peter points to an angry mob of people dressed in black, covering their faces and heads while carrying baseball bats, emerging through the main building's front doors. -That's what we call an Antifa Horde. I'll break that down to you later as well.

 

 He starts the car and waves his arm outside the window, summoning a dimensional portal that's just bit enough for the vehicle to pass through.

-Hang on tight!- He hits the gas.

 

\----

 

-So that was basically it.- Peter concludes, finally finishing his coffee. Star, Marco, Tom and the Magic High Commission, which Star called as soon as Peter got back, all sit silently across the table. The thought the story has going to last a lot longer, given how much time they were gone, but apparently, it was just that little event and the rest of the time was spent hanging around a Starbucks. Whatever that is.

-So, let me get this straight...- Hekapoo breaks the silence. -You broadcasted someone's sex tape without their knowledge for an audience of dozens, if not hundreds?

-Well, when you put it that way, it almost sounds like I'm the bad guy. And that can't be right, so you're probably phrasing it wrong.

-What about that "Sam" person? -Rhombulus intervenes. -Didn't you scar her for life, or something?

-No, I scarred zer for life, you cisnormative pile of shit.

 

 Rhombulus really wants to give him a smart comeback, but he can't. Mostly because he has absolutely no idea what he's talking about.

-Ugh!- Star pulls her hair. -Glossaryck, I don't understad. You run off with Eclipsa, then when you come back, you go talk to Peter of all people? What were you thinking!?

-Star, there really isn't any problem.- Glossaryck calmly explains. -Eclipsa's gone now, and without the spellbook, there is little I can do to be helpful here. So I just decided to spend some time with my friend Thorenheim for a bit, cheer myself up, before I move on.

-Move on? To where?

-I don't know. What I do know is that there's no point staying around here. I might try to figure out a way to find Moon, maybe get her back. Or I might just wander across the dimensions until I find an interesting place to settle. No general destination, either way.

-Way to go, dude.- Peter congratulates.-That's the spirit right there, just go wherever the fuck your heart leads you two, and figure out the rest along the way.

-And you!- Star jumps up for her seat and approaches the elementalist. -You were just fooling around this whole time?

-So what? There isn't anything I can do around here unless there's a fight to be had. You do realize I'm not being paid by the hour, right?

-Alright, forget it then! As long as you're here when I need you to be, I guess I don't have to care about what you do. But what about this?- She holds up her wand in his face. -What exactly did you do to my wand?

-I told you, I gave it a little bit of my...

-Touch, yes! Please be specific!

-Jesus, fine! Calm yourself down, woman. I couldn't really enchant it with elemental magic. Mixing your shit with my shit, let me tell you, that would just be the magical mother of all clusterfucks. Instead, I just expanded upon what the wand can already do.

-What do you mean?

-You use the wand to acess magic, and then you use that magic to make spells. I made it so you can harvest and store more magical energy at once, so it makes your spells more powerful.

-Yeah, Peter told me about it while we were on Earth.- Glossaryck adds. -Given that the wand isn't really doing anytning it's not supposed to, there isn't any danger.

-If you consider that whole "The Universe is a Stew" thing, all I did was give you a bigger spoon.

 

 Star thinks back to her fight against Mina Loveberry. The first time, her spells couldn't even scratch her, no matter how hard she threw them at her. The second time around, each attack made her visibly weaker. And that final explosion was indeed pretty sweet. Was it really all Peter's doing. If so, he might have just helped Star access a whole new level of potential she couldn't even think of before. This could really be a huge benefit! But still, why would Peter help Star develop her abilities? It's not like he cared. Right?

-But why did you do that?- Star asks.

-Listen, Star, I know we got to a bit of a rough start here. This situation we're in looks pretty fucked up right now, and I do realize you're in need of help. I will admit that I'm not always around, and I don't always focus on my work, but I wanted you to know I'm here to help. That's why I got the wand back from Eclipsa, and that's why I augmented it. Because it's...my job, I suppose.

-Oh...- Star lowers the wand.- Well, uh...this is akward. I'm sorry I pointed it at you like that.

-Hey, I get pissed off sometimes too, I get it. There's just so much to do! Tell you what: I have some degree of experience with defensive spells. Since there's no skulls to crack open, I'll just help the Commission here get that force shield up and running. Deal?

-We could use the extra pair of hands...- Omnitraxus points out, and both Rhombulus and Hekapoo seem convinced.

-Thanks, Peter.- Star smiles. -For all that it's worth, I really appreciate it.

-No problem, Queen.

-So...what now?

-Now, I guess we get back to work.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! It's been fun writing these 5 chapters, and we're now done with part 1. Just like every season of Star Vs. needs plot-heavy episodes and good one off adventures, we can't just march through this scenario without a few breaks. So next, expect a less juicy chapter in terms of moving the story forward.  
> We're taking our sweet time here.


	6. Crash The Course

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry of this chapter took an extra day. It required me to do some actual research, as opposed to pulling shit out of my ass.

-Faster, motherfuckers!- Peter shouts, as the cart makes its way across the forest. He stands tall on top of the wood pile, casting balls of fire at the flower monsters chasing their convoy. Baby-Man takes note of the sorcerer's orders, and whips the warnicorns that pull the vehicle, reaching their top velocity.

-Die, creatures!- Lady Whosits uses her spear to prevent the monsters that escape the elementalist's blasts from getting close to the cart, impaling their plantoid bodies several times. Their stump-like legs move faster than should be expected for such small limbs in relation to the body.

 Done with this game of catch, Peter raises both his arms and calls for a wall of stone to emerge from the ground behind their trusted transport, blocking the monsters' path. They gain some distance, but the creatures quickly begin to to either climb it or move around it. However, this gives the spellcaster enough time and the perfect chance to strike: he summons a devastating inferno that bathes the flower monsters in flames. Their high pitched screams shatter Marco's ears, and he falls onto his knees as the convoy approaches the Forest's exit.

 A single flower monster now remains, standing between them and their escape. How exactly this one managed to pull off a smarter move than his comrades and block their way instead of chasing after them, the crew can only wonder. Right now, they need to take care of it.

-Yo, Diaz!- Thorenheim points to the iron shovel inside the cart. -A little hand here?!

 Nodding, Marco gets up, still confused and shaken by the situation, picks up the tool and throws it towards Peter, who grabs it with both his hands and raises it over his head.

-Steady...steady...steady...BAM!

 

 He swings the shovel and hits the beast in its ugly face, knocking it off its limbs and sending it crashing onto the ground, defeated. -And that's how you do it, cabrão!

 At long last, they reach the end of this damned Forest. The sunlight can finally shine bright on their faces, and the dangers they faced are now left behind. The Butterfly Castle, their final destination, already stands tall just ahead. The rest of the ride should go smoothly.

 -Nice work out there, people.- Peter jumps off the wood pile and onto the cart, where the knight and Marco take their time to sigh in relief, the battle now over. Baby-Man slows the carriage down, no longer in need of escaping death, but the vehicle still moves fast across the plains separating the Forest of Certain Death from the kingdom.

 

 Ever since Marco faced Meteora, he didn't get into a fight. That was already over a week ago! Without having to fight for that much time, of course he's losing his touch. His karate moves managed to take out a couple of flower monsters back there, but not nearly as many as he thought he could handle. He agreed to go on this trip with Lady Whosits and Thorenheim, deep into the Forest of Certain Death, hoping to get some good training out of it. Clearly, he went a little over his head.

-I didn't know there were people living near the Forest.- He says.

-Yeah, just a small village. Nothing too fancy. -Peter replies. -But this sweet wood shipment we got here is gonna come in handy once we get back. We can't build a fallen society with willpower alone.

-Say, Thorenheim...- Whosits cuts off. -Why did you bring that shovel again?

-This right here is Maria. And it's actually a spade. - He proudly holds the tool in his right hand, waving it in the air as if displaying it. -I prefer good ol' magic, but when it comes to hand weapons, it's my standard choice. Isn't she beautiful?

 

 Hardly. Marco and Whosits take a second to inspect the shovel: its edges have been sharpened far beyond what is necessary for such a tool, if used only for the purposes it is designed for, and its triangular blade is half covered in dry blood. The wooden handle is covered in scratches and slashes. The thing looks pretty sturdy, and it has to be, given the hit Peter pulled off when he attacked the flower monster with it just a few moments ago, but it isn't exactly pretty to look at.

-Hah! You fight with that thing? Why don't you get yourself a real weapon?- Lady Whosits shows him her spear, and the sorcerer seems less than impressed.

-Excuse me.- The smile across his face disappears. -The fuck did you just say to me? Are you saying that Maria isn't a good weapon?!

-Why would it ever be? It's not even designed to be one.

-This thing right here is twice the war machine your little poking stick there is, my friend.

-Poking stick!? You insolent fool, dare to call a knight's weapon worthless? You're lucky we are on the same side, because if I fought you, your pathetic shovel would do nothing to save you. This "stick" would pierce right through your heart, you...

 

 Without warning, the spellcaster swings Maria once again, hitting Whosits in the head, knocking off her helmet. Before she can even react, he lands another strike right into her now unprotected head. The warrior instantly falls on her back. Baby-Man looks towards her in horror.

-You looking at something, compadre?- Peter frowns in the squire's direction, and he rapidly turns back to focus on the warnicorns instead. -Yeah, I thought so.

-Whoa, Peter!- Marco gasps. -What was that for?!

-You talk shit, you get hit, Diaz. Lady Whosits can help around in the battlefield, but outside of it, it looks like she's not worth the effort of talking to. You insult Maria, you get her razor sharp blade to cut off your head.

Is she...going to be ok?- Marco looks at the knocked out knight.

-She'll be fine, don't worry about it. I barely hit her with enough force to cause a concussion

-You know, she had a point. Why do you fight with that thing?

-One hell of a story that is, I guess I can tell you. See, when I was only 12 years old, I had already started getting really good with my magic, so like a retarded kid, I decided to use it to piss off people. One of said people was a local thug by the name of Armindo. Some lowlife with nothing better to do with his time. So he summoned some muscle, kidnapped me, put me inside a bad, got me in a car, drove some miles into the nearest forest, and pointed a gun at my head. He then gave me that spade right there and told me to use it to dig my own grave. You wanna know what happened next?

 Marco just stands there, speechless. The fact that Peter's right there, alive and well, talking to him, already indicates what happened, but he goes on regardless:

-I'll tell you what happened, I used it to beat the living shit out of him! Granted, I used some magic, but I opened up his skull with that spade. I heard he survived, but I never saw him again. Maria has been my sidekick in dimensional adventures ever since.

-So why only use it now? You didn't have it when we fought Mina.

-I wasn't planning on fighting. Got caught by surprise. But let me tell you, Maria would've done a number on that whore. A shame I didn't get the chance to use her.

-Mind if I take a look at it?

-Go right ahead, dude.- He hands him Maria, and Marco almost collapses as soon as he receives it.

-Ugh! Peter, this thing weighs a ton!

-Oh, yeah, sorry.- Noticing how close the boy is to falling down, Peter grabs the spade back from him. -I forgot about the magic. See, Maria is a good fighter, but she needs a little boost to really kick ass. So I used some enchantments to bind my essence to her. In my hands, Maria's only heavy when it hits! Otherwise, it's barely heavier than a feather.

-Oh, then it's a magic shovel?

-Spade. And yeah, that thing's got more enchantments than I can count at this point.

-Sweet. And what about this dry blood?

-Hey, gotta put it to use, no?- The sorcerer sits, leaning his back against the wood pile behind him. -Otherwise, mind as well not even have a magically augmented iron tool. And what would be the fun in that?

-So...- Marco takes a seat besides the elementalist. - I noticed you swear a lot.

-Oh, you did?- Peter laughs. -Those levels of self awareness of yours are really impressive, friend.

-Ha, funny. Anyway, is that Spanish you're swearing in all the time, because I couldn't really tell.

-Portuguese.

-Yes, that was my second bet, I should've known. You're from where, Brazil?

-No, Diaz. Born and raised in Portugal. World capital of political corruption, old women with mustaches and unhealthy fanatical obcession with soccer. And you?

-My dad's from Mexico, but I lived in California my whole life.

-Ah, I see. Did you ever get to experience the world? You must've had some time to, with your scissors and all.

-I mostly focus on other dimensions. I didn't really travel a lot around Earth.

-Your bad. Our homeworld is quite interesting to get to know, if you try searching.

-Wait a minute. You know I have dimensional scissors?

-Yeah, a little bird told me about your crazy quest to get them. A little bird in an orange dress...

-Hekapoo told you?

-Sure did, and she was impressed. So was I when I heard! 16 years straight!? You're a fucking trooper, Diaz. Kudos.

-Thanks. It was pretty hard.

-Hey, you don't have to tell me. I spent a few years in the place myself.

-Oh?

-I'm 17 here, but like you, I've gathered some extra experience from my time there. I'm around 21, I think, I kinda forgot how long it was. Needless is to say, I wasn't retarded enough to go there without a way of coming back. That's why you spent so much time in there?

-Hekapoo gave me plenty of chances to give up over the years. But I kept going. I was stubborn, and I wanted to beat her at her own game.

-A guy doesn't do that just for a pair of scissors, buddy.

-The scissors were Star's. I wanted to get them back when Hekapoo took them.

-Ah, I knew it! You did good, bro. So, did you manage to get some action out of that or what?

-Huh?

-You know, some action? With 16 years of surviving in that clusterfuck of a place, the Stardock must've accepted your shuttle in a heartbeat.

 

 The two stare silently at each other for a couple of seconds. Peter lets out a sigh of frustration when he sees the look of pure confusion on Marco's face.

-I'm asking you if you fucked her, dude.

-Peter! No! Why would think that?

-Why would I not?! Sixteen fucking years, Diaz. You did all that for Good Guy points?! That was a dumb move.

-I never even thought of that. I wanted to get the scissors back because it was my fault they were taken away, and I...

-And you went after them because you really like Star. Fine, I get it. Sorry for doubting your motives. But you do realize what that means, right?

-What?

-When I say you really like star, I mean you really, really do. So much that you could grow to despise a certain demon Prince for standing in your way of getting to her.

-I know what you're thinking, but Tom and I...

-...Are on good terms, sure, at least for now. But do you really think you can live like this? You're the Queen's squire, Marco. Squires are not supposed to be in love with their employers.

-I...

-You can't lie to me, dude. Neither can you lie to yourself. You respect Tom, I know you do, but you can't ignore how you feel because of that. Because if you do, all those feelings will kick you in the balls when you least expect it.

 

 Marco is unable to respond to that. How he feels? How can Peter possibly know how he feels? Star is her best friend, and that is that. Tom is also a very close friend, how could he not be after they fought together against Meteora? The two of them being together never bothered him, it ndver got it in the way of his relation with Star or Tom. There were no feelings to be discussed!

Everything is perfectly fine. It has to be.

 Before he can think of a comeback, the cart comes to a stop, having arrived at its destination. A boat is ready to ferry both the materials and the crew across the small river that surrounds the island like Mewman citadel.

 

\----

 

 Star lets out a sigh of relief, a feeling of achievement and satisfaction washing over her. It is done. At long last it is done! She, along with Marco and Tom, leaves the castle to inspect the town. The last few houses were finished, and all the people stayin inside the castle can now finally return to their newly constructed homes. Thanks to Marco and his organization, they even managed to get a better city grid that they had before. The streets are free of any sort of garbage or filth, and a row of trees was carefully planted along the main road, leading to the castle entrace. The whole things looks amazing! It's awe inspiring what they managed to do in such a short amount of time.

 Precisely 3 weeks ago, Peter finally got his head in the game and started being an actually helpful part of Star's crew, and it's been nothing but progress ever since. Helping defend shipments of building materials wasn't even the half of it. Given that the knights dropped their patrol duties to help with construction, Peter successfully protected the defenseless kingdom against ambicious monsters from the Forest of Certain Death that wandered off their home to raid the place. Not only that, he helped the Magic High Commission put the force shield around the town in place once again. From what Hekapoo told her the day before, it takes time until the shield reaches its full strength, and there's little they can do to speed up the pace. However, it woul've taken at least another week, and probably longer to get it done if it wasn't for Peter. He still wasn't around the whole time, and at this point, no one bothered to wonder where he was, because when the situtation called for it, he was there. Star reminds herself of the episode just last week, when he fixed the incorrect enchantment Rhombulus casted that could have ruined their entire progress in getting the magical defenses working again. When all is said and done, Peter is now one of the few people Star can trust to help her get the kingdom back together. The castle is still in need of repairs, which is probably what Star will have to focus on next, but with the most urgent order of bussiness out of the wair, she can finally focus on other, equally important aspects.

 -The place is looking good.- Tom nods in approval as he looks around. It does look good indeed.

-I'm so proud of us, guys!- Star cheers in excitement, making both the demon and the human smile in return. -We really managed to turn this thing around, and I couldn't be happier with the results.

 

 Everyone did their part, and the Queen's inner circle of friends is no exception. Marco, thanks to his organization skills and smart planning, basically oversaw most of the reconstruction effort. Tom, with his charisma and newly discovered inner calm, did some solid work at diplomacy, stalling the allied kingdoms and keeping them happy long enough for everyone to do their job properly.

-Still...- Star continues, turning to Tom. -I gotta start worrying about meeting with the other kings and queens, right? I mean, you can't keep them busy forever.

-Not to worry. Pony Head talked with her dad, I talked with mine, and your father with the Johansens. Everyone agreed to give you time to prepare the kingdom to talk bussiness. But you're right, at some point you'll have to talk to them.

-Ok then. But first we should fix the castle.

-Good call.- Marco says. -The nobles won't like seeing a damaged castle. But if we do have time, I think we should seize the chance and take a break now.

-I know, right? We haven't hung out in ages!- Tom agrees. -And now, we finally have a bit of space to relax.

-I do miss going out with friends.- Star's been meaning to have a talk with Tom, in private, for some time now. After going over her thoughts, she really needs to get this weight of her shoulders. But right now, they have a point: this afternoon should be about celebration. She can tell him later.- It's been so long since we got to do something together.

-We should go to Earth.- Marco suggests. - I heard there's this new action movie called "Redcon".

-Sound fun! I'll call Pony Head to come with us. But...- Star stays silent and ponders for a moment. -...You know whatt? I think we should also invite Peter.

-Excuse me?- Marco questions.

-We got off to a wrong start, but lately, he's just been so helpful to us! I think would be rude not to let him come with us.

-Well, he can be pretty entertaining...- Tom seems troubled. Over the last few weeks, tensions between him and the elementalist hit an all time low. This is the closest he's ever been to not hating him in his life, and it is pretty close. -Ok. Fine by me. You, Marco?

-Sure. I guess he's mostly cool.- Maybe Marco really meant that. He honestly can't tell. Ugh! Why are his feelings such a mess right now? Marco's been going over his short exchange with the sorcerer during their quest together again and again since that day. Was Peter right after all?

-Where is he anyway?

-Who knows? Maybe with the High Commission?

-I think Hekapoo's in the castle. Let's go ask her.

 

 Hekapoo is in the throne room, evaluating the damage done to the place. She's alone when they arrive.

-Hey, Hekapoo.- Star greets. -Have you seen Peter around?

-Yeah, he's with the kids now.

-Sorry, kids?

-Didn't he tell you? When we're not working, he's keeping the town' teens and kids busy. It's really helpful, actually, they're usually a pain to deal with while we're trying to get things done.

-Weird, he didn't tell me that...- Star smiles, despite that. It's all the more reason to appreciate what he's doing, as well as all the more reason why they absolutely must take him to have with them. After all this, Star is certain she can call Peter trustworthy. Maybe even a friend. -Where is he?

-He takes them to the plains just outside the town, to this place he calls "The School of Thot". I'm pretty sure it's a reference, but I don't really get it. Just look for weird stone pillars and you'll find it.

 

 It takes a lot of effort to make Cloudy large enough for him to carry Star, Marco and Tom over the river and to fly over the plains surrounding the Butterfly Castle. It isn't long however, until they spot a stone formation below that none of them can recognize, but in which they can see several people. They approach.

 Reaching the ground, it's a strange scene they find themselves in front of: rectangular stones arranged into a semicircle around a slightly larger stone serve as seats for the town's children, a few of which Star can recognize as either troublemakers or sons of important merchants or suppliers for the Castle's reconstruction. Surprisingly, kids from all castes of the kingdom's social sutrcture are present: commoners, middle class, even a few nobles. None of them are that much younger than Star herself. Massive stone pillars emerge from the ground and several meters into the air, some even sustaining other stone slabs above them, in a formation that reminds Marco of the Stonehenge. In the center of it all, who else but Peter Thorenheim, standing under a stone arc with the words "SCHOOL OF THOT" engraved in it. As soon as everyone present notices the Queen and her inner circle approaching, the youngsters gasp in surprise. They bow in Her Majesty's presence.

-Well, well!- Despite seeing all the teens bow, Peter stands tall as he greets the monarch, with some sort of wood staff in his hand. -If it isn't Star Butterfly, Queen of Mewni. What can I do for you?

-Peter, what is this?- Star asks. -I heard you were keeping an eye on the kids?

-Keeping an eye? Nah! I'm educating them. You guys got here just in time.

-Just in time for what, exactly?

-Today's lesson, of course. Pull yourself a stone!

-We just...wanted to ask you if you'd like to hang out with us. On Earth.

-I'd love to. But first, why don't you stick around for one of my carpet bombings of knowledge?

-I'm sorry, Peter, I still don't understand what this is all about.

-I'm giving these folks a crash course on philosophy. I made this nice classroom out here in the open and everything, I'm actually pretty proud of myself. Take a seat and see for yourselves.

-I don't know...

-Come on, Star.- Tom smiles widely and searches around for a place for the three of them. -This actually looks interesting.

-I agree.- Marco continues. -It can't hurt, right?

-Fine.- Star gives in. -I guess this does look kinda cool.

 

 Peter uses his powers to summon a brand new stone seat that he manages to squeeze in the semicircle, and the three of them take their places in it.

-Alright, people!- Thorenheim gestures the staff towards the audience. -Yesterday, I told you all about the myth of Atlantis. You guys remember it, don't you?

-Yes.- The young crowd responds.

-Good. Can one of you do a quick summary? Billy? -He points his staff to one of the commoners.

-Hmm, sure thing, Mister Thorenheim...

-Hey, hey, we've been over this, guys! It's Peter.

-Sorry, Peter.

-Ok, go on.

-So, thousands of years ago, the Gods divided the land among themselves in a way they would never fight over territory. The God of the Ocean, Poseidon, fell in love with a woman that lived in the island of Atlantis, his domain, and together, they had 10 children. Poseidon crowned them kings of Atlantis, and the 10 formed a confederation that ruled over the island. Atlantis had amazing natural resources, so all of the kings were very wealthy and powerful. Over time, the bloodlines' divine blood became thin and the kings fell to their human nature. They became a naval power and took to conquer the known world. However, their fleet was defeated when they attacked the Ancient City of Anthens. And after that, the gods were so displeased with the kings that they let the entire island sink into the ocean.

-Nice job, Billy. You all heard it before. Now, when I first told you about this, I asked you all to think about the moral of this story. So, now that we're here again, can anyone tell me what it is?

 There's discussion among the audience, and no one seems to be sure how to answer. However, the son of a merchant, 13 year old Amaro, finally speaks:

-I believe it is about the horrors of war.

-Nonsense.- Joane, a noble, is quick to respond. -It's about the need to carefully play your cards. The kings were too bold, and that was their downfall.

-You're getting there...- Peter says. -But it's not quite that.

-Actually...- A commoner girl raises his arm to speak, just as people are beggining to take sides in the argument. -I think it's about corruption. The kings were bold because they wanted more power, and that was the true key to their downfall.

-Ah!- A smiles crosses Peter's face. -What your name?

-Ally.

-You're right, Ally! You heard it loud and clear, everyone. That's what I was trying to teach you by telling you this story...- He pauses. -....Power corrupts! Not even men with divine blood could be trusted with absolute authority, because in the end, for all their might and wealth, they still fell victims to their impulsive, human nature. Humans and Mewmans are, at heart, the same: people crave power, and abuse it whenever they can. Plato used Atlantis as a way of teaching others about the nature of politics and the organization of society, about how to properly distribute power among people to make sure the nation prospers. -He stops, and takes a few moments for the message to stick to their heads. Meanwhile, Star looks suspiciously towards him. Was this staged? That story about the balance of power and whatever seems like it is directed towards the Queen in particular. But then again, he didn't know she would be here. Did he?

-And that brings us to today's topic.- He continues. -The justification of the State. Today, we have in our presece Her Majesty, Queen Butterfly.- He gestures towards Star, and the crowd takes a second to tilt their heads once again in respect. -I couldn't think of a better contributor to today's lesson! Ask yourselves, people: why is it that we live together and have laws, unlike all the wild beings in the forest? Why are we so different? Why are we not in the Forest of Certain Death right now, killing each other over food and territory? That's exactly what I'll talk to you about today. Just a quick session on a few theories us folks over on Earth thought of to answer this riddle. The first theory is the naturalist perspective.

-That we should all just go back to the wild?- Someone asks, causing a wave of laughter over the crowd.

-Whoever said that, you got it all wrong, mate. No. What this theory states is that the question itself doesn't make sense. You see, this theory considers that we could not possibly live outside an organized society. As people, we only reach our true potential within an organized society, and outside of one, if even possible to be so without complete isolation from all other people, we would never truly grow to be well adjusted individuals.

-But is that true, Peter?- Ally questions.

-I've told you before. These are theories. Philosophy is complicated and there is probably no single answer to all these questions I'm giving you. Even if there is, we'll probably never agree on what it is. What's important is that you think about it and form an opinion founded on rational thinking. I'm not here to tell you guys what's right or wrong. I'm here to tell you how to make that choice. Ok?

 

The young girl nods.

-Alright. This is one theory. Now, there are two others I'd like to talk about, both of which are contractualist. This means they both believe societies are founded on some sort of agreement, so to say. A construct that we, as rational beings, can make. They both make a clear contrast between two forms of living: within an organized society, and in what is called The State of Nature. According to a philosopher named Thomas Hobbes, a human thinker, the State of Nature is the rock bottom of existence: people kill, steal, rape, and there's nothing to stop them. People fear for their lives, no one feels safe. The strong rule over the weak, and their rule is a brutal one. To prevent this, people come together and make a pact: they trade their freedom to raid, kill and rape for security. They decide to give all power to a certain group of people, or single person, to act on their behalf and guarantee everyone's safety at whatever the cost.

-But what is the cost?- Joane questions.

-The cost is, in most cases, individual rights. People are no longer free to live their lives according to their own will. People fear death, and will do anything to avoid it. Anything, and I mean any sort of political structure at all, beats the State of Nature, in Hobbes' perspective, as long as it protects its citizens.

 

 Another pause in the speech gives plenty of time for the crowd to sort their thoughts out. Joane, his question answered, looks convinced, almost like he's willing to embrace this theory as true in time. Others, however, do not seem impressed.

-And then, there's the theory of John Locke. Locke also made a distinction between organized societies and the State of Nature, but he didn't think of the State of Nature as a constant bloodbath. People have a moral consciousness, and as such, are granted natural rights, such as the right to life, property and freedom. Locke had a much brighter view of Humanity, and by extension of Mewmanity, than Hobbes had. It's not like any of us would be willing to randomly slaughter people, even if given the chance, and knowing we could get away with it, because people are not savage beasts. We can think about what is best for us and to others around us. We feel not only compassion, but a sense of duty to our fellow Man, which drives us to coexist with one another. Most people will not, in fact, try to kill you to steal your stuff, but there are still some that will. And in the State of Nature, other than one's moral consciousness, nothing really prevents someone from pillaging and murdering. And that's why people get together: to make sure their natural rights are preserved. The State in an organized society is, as such, not an authoritarian one, because security, while still important, isn't the foundation of power. In short, the difference between these two theories is quite simple. What is the foundation of power? The one thing that gives the State a right to exist: to some, it is the preservation of security, and to others, of liberty.

 

 There's an uncomfortable silence following the end of Peter's rhetoric, and then, a round of applause. The youngsters are entertained by this lecture, and seem keen on learning more. As soon as the cheers fall silent, several discussions break out. Apparently, people are already arguing over which theory holds the most credit.

-Bravo, my friends.- Thorenheim claps himself, and the audience's attention turns back towards him. -You guys did well. I stop talking, and you get right into the discussion, just like I intended. Remember: maybe one of the theories holds value, or maybe none does, and we need to make a new one. The point is, you need to THINK about the answer, and how you can support your conclusions. Good ideas hold up to critics! I'd love to stay and chat with you some more, but I'm already satisfied with your progress. Some other day, we'll get together again and continue. For now, it looks like I got places to be. So long!

 

 A flash of light crosses the gathering and a portal tears open the fabric of space and time, creating a gateway through which the town is seen. In a line, all the teens cross the portal, some stopping to thank Peter for the time they spent here or ask him a quick question in particular. After a couple of minutes, the elementalist is left alone with Star, Marco and Tom.

-So, what did you think?- Peter inquires.

-Huh, nice job, Peter.- Marco congratulates. -I thought you'd be doing something more...thrilling with your free time, but you're here, teaching!?

-Boy, the first couple of classes were a fucking nightmare, getting those kids to get along. But after that, I think I've already established my reputation as a Cool Professor, and I actually am managing to get some info into their brains.

-Peter, how long have you been doing this?- Star cutts off. -It's just, we don't really have classes here in Mewni, and I don't think people fit in this Earth styled...

-Nonsense, Queen! Knowledge should be for everyone! You doubt your people can handle what we human folks have been figuring out for thousands of years? That's the beautiful thing about information: you get a conversation started, and when you realize it, everyone has a formed opinion and is ready to battle for supremacy of ideas, throwing out bad ones and adopting ones that hold themselves up. That kind of quest for truth is what philosophy is all about, and in my humble opinion, we should all have a part in it.

-He makes a good point.- Tom intervenes. -Besides, I'd totally stick around for a few more lessons.

-I'm thinking about discussing the Meaning or Life or something like that next time around.

-Count me in!

 

 Huh. Thinking about it, this does look like a really good thing. The youngsters of the kingdom are right here, entertained, and that gives the adults over at the town the free time they need to get everything ready to move into the newy built habitations. With Thorenheim's reputation as a powerful yet troublemaking spellcaster, the real question here is how Peter convinced their parents to let them come here, to the middle of freaking nowhere, to talk for a couple of hours. Still, after seeing this, Star feels sort of bad for forcing the thing to be cut short.

-I liked it.- She says. -I really did. But why didn't you tell me about all this?

-This isn't official bussiness or anything, just something I' doing with my free time. Maybe I want to teach these people something useful, or maybe I'm just trying to feel intelectually superior. Hmm...- Peter pulls out a phone from his pocket and opens a voice recording app. -"Note for later: discuss reinterpretation of motives with the class."

-So, now that you got that out of the way...-Marco continues. -Ready for some post apocalyptic action?

-Oh, let me guess. We're gonna watch "Redcon".

-Bingo.

-Can't wait to really like the movie, but then rant about how much shit it was online. That's always the best part! -Without further talk, the elementalist creates another portal, this time to his home dimension. -Let's go before they sell out!

 

 Marco and Tom instantly jump through the portal, and Star follows behind. She's not entirely sure what to think of this little event, but when all is said and done, Peter is trying to help out the people of the kingdom, just like Star, even if he has sligntly stranger methods of doing so. His intentions are, or at least seem, good, and Star can't help it but to think Thorenheim is turning into a pretty decent guy. Hell, maybe he really was one all along, and she just couldn't see it under the countless layers of sarcasm.

  It's about time they all have some fun anyways.

 

 


	7. A Night To Remeber To Forget

It smells...strange. It smells weird. It isn't a bad smell, but it is strong, and it is everywhere. It reminds Star of her dad's ale. Alcohol? But...they don't sell alcohol at the movies. "I..I thought that was illegal...or something".

 And suddenly, there's a bang.

 Star wakes up to the sound of pounding against a door. Her head is spinning like crazy, and it feels like her brain is sliding around her skull like pudding. She is lying down on a hard stone floor, her body wrapped in some kind of cloth. Her clothes feel dirty and wet. Slowly, she stands, and lets go of the soft blue blanket, only to realize it is no blanket at all. Looking back at it, she sees a cyrcle made of yellow stars. It looks like some sort of flag.

 What the hell happened?

 A look around reveals her friends in the same condition. They are in what looks like a large semicircular auditorium. Rows of chairs are lining all around the stage in which she stands, and there is a podium nearby. All of the sudden, Marco jumps to his feet, awake and finally aware of the angry pounding and even shouting coming from the door. Tom is nowhere to be seen, until the young girl looks up to see her boyfriend hanging from the high ceiling, held up by a rope tied to his ankle.

-Tom? Tom!- Screaming hurts her head, but she does manage to get him to come to his senses. Upon waking up, he akwardly throws a few fireballs at the rope, most of which miss due to his poor aim, caused by a severe hangover, but he finally breaks free and drops to the ground, weakly levitating his body to slow himself during the last few feet of the fall. When he reaches the floor, he pulls himself up.

-Agh! My head...-The demon rubs his finger against his forehead. -Where the hell are we?

-I...Weren't we in the movies just now?- Marco rubs his closed eyes with his hands, before blinking rapidly and then looking around. -Wait a minute. This place looks familiar.

 Marco turns to see the flag in which star was sleeping. Plenty of them are still hanging from the walls of the auditorium. Its design rings a bell, and Marco gasps.

-This is the European Union flag! Ar...are we in Europe?!

-I guess...-Tom stares down.-But where in Europe?

-Wait, what the...Peter!

Star points to a zombie like Peter Thorenheim, sitting alone in a chair in the audience. His clothes are dirty and filled with red spots, much like the ones Star, Marco and Tom have on theirs. He has a red tie on his head, and he stares deeply into his phone's screen, seemingly unaware of anything around him. However, taking a closer look, the 3 of them can see he holds a bottle of wine in his other hand.

 -Heh. Fucking Ben Shapiro at it again. I'll get ya someday. Someday...

-PETER!

 That is just loud enough to take the spellcaster by surprise, and he looks away from his phone and to the stage, where the young queen and her friends stare at him silently. Peter swings himself up and takes a few hesitant steps in their direction. Halfway to them, he drops the bottle, which shatters on the floor and spills what remained inside. He looks like he's just as confused as the rest of them, but something tells Star he isn't.

-Whoa. That was quite the ride, people. Let me tell ya, I didn't expect you all to be this crazy.

-Peter, is this alcohol I got on me!?- Star points to the spots all over her clothes.

-Sure is. Only the finest wine in all of Europa, my friend!

-Ok, ok, everyone calm down now.- Marco steps in, already grabbing Tom before he falls over. -Peter, you mind explaining me where the heck are we?

-Shit.- He burps between words. -You don't remember?

-No...- The 3 collectively respond.

-Damn. I guess you don't digest alcohol all that good. You should've probably taken it easy, ya know? Maybe we wouldn't have ended up here.

-But where are we!? We were supposed to be at the movies.

-In America!- Tom adds.

-Well, it was kinda surreal, actually. Got a few gaps in my memory myself, to be honest. But I get the picture.

 

\----------------

-God, that movie sucked!- Peter moans as the 5 of them leave the theater and step into the streets.

-Why? I thought it was pretty good.- Tom casually slurps the remaining of his soda.

-Every fucking time. They just keep. Romaticizing. Communism! What is wrong with these people!?

-Calm down, will you?- Pony Head says.- Anyway, it was fun hanging out with you guys, but my dad is gonna kill me if he finds out I went out without asking again. So, see you. Star, I'll call you later, girl.

 She waves her off as Pony Head rips open a hole through the dimensions back to Mewni.

-It's ruined.- The sorcerer continues. -It's just ruined, I guess. Might as well put Hollywood in a toxic waste barrel and blast it into the sun.

-Even if you don't like the political message, the story itself is...

-Shit, Diaz! The story is shit! Just another action movie starring a generic military stoic. "OH, all I wanna do is go back home to my gal, buy a farm and have kids." I'm getting sick of the formula, dude. Making it post-apocaliptic and giving everyone Eastern European accents doesn't make it creative, alright?!

-You sound way too upset. It's just a movie.

-Art is dying, Marco!

 Peter opens up a portal to some unknown place and jumps through, leaving the teens alone.

-Forget the movies. He's all the drama we need.- Tom remarks.

-So, that was fun.- Star cuts off. -Maybe there's somewhere else we can go before going back to Mewni.

-We could always revisit some of our other friends.- Marco suggests.- Remember? The ones we went to school with?

-Oh, yeah...haven't talked to Janna in a while.

 

 As suddenly as he disappeared, Thorenheim is back. He steps out of a wormhole, carrying a green glass bottle.

-This will make the pain go away...-He says with melancholy in his voice as he opens it.

-Oh, you drink?- Tom asks curiously.

-Yeah. Want some?

-Sure.

-What? Tom!

-Star, relax. I'm a demon, remember?- Tom takes the bottle. -We have a higher tolerance for this kinds of thing.

-How did you buy that anyway, Peter? You're technically still a minor.

-Technicality is of little concern to my suppliers, Diaz.- He and Tom take turns drinking. -But we're in the open season! Everything is half priced. Want to me grab you guys some?

-I'm not drinking, Peter.- Star crosses her arms.

-Oh, come on, queen! You're like, 15! That's more than old enough.

-You're mad.

-Your parents told you you had to wait until you're 18? Fuck off. You have a wand that breaks the Laws of Thermodynamics, you can handle some ethanol.

-Are you sure?

-No one agrees on what makes people responsible enough to drink. I've met 10 year olds with more potential to hold a household together than the average 25 year old. In Portugal, you gotta be 16 to drink, but parents put wine in their kids' fucking fruit salad to make it taste better.

-What are you saying?

-I'm saying it doesn't matter if most 15 year olds can't handle alcohol. What matters is if YOU can.

-Fine, Peter. If it will keep you quiet, I'll have one gulp. But that's it!

 

 

\-----------

 

-Balls...- Star sighs. -...that wasn't it, was it?

-Nah.- Peter burps again. -One thing led to another, and then it went a little too far. The 4 of us got a whole lot of booze. A WHOLE lot.

-How much exactly?

-Let's see...by the end of the day, I think we each had had at least 2 bottles.

-Jesus!- Marco panics.

-After that, things started to get really out of hand. I'm pretty sure we tried to rob a store.

-Oh my God...

-But then shit got real. Everything from America to here is a blank, but getting here? Oh boy...

 

\--------------

 

 Peter drives a stolen minivan through the crowded streets. People take shelter inside any building they can, and the police are hot on his tail. 3 cars are following him, and 1 helicopter looms above, poiting its lights at the vehicle. Tom laughs like a madman as he showers the path behind them with flames, while Marco seems to have forgotten how to speak English and curses loudly in Spanish. Star lies in the back seats, staring at the minivan's roof while humming something to herself lowly. Probably a song, but Peter can hardly hear any of it through his own drunken singalong.

 

We were staying in Brussels

And it is kind of a puzzle

To figure out

Why the fuck we waiting around

When we could be hitting the town

 

Out on the streets, y'all

Driving through the heart of the town

We laugh and run all across the city

We having fun. You mad? What a pity

 

We were staying in Brussels

La la la la la la

La la la la la la

La la la la la la

We were staying in Brussels

 

\------------

 

-Wait a minute. Brussels?- Marco cuts off. -Oh, please don't tell me...

-Yeah. Crashed right through the main hall. Place was pretty much empty when we got here. We scared off whoever was in and barricaded ourselves in.

-Did we...

-Yup.

-We crashed the European Parliament!?

-That we did.

 Silence would settle in the room, if it wasn't for the sounds of several people about to break in through the doors.

-How did they not get inside already?

-I think they just got here.- Peter closes his eyes as he tries to remember. -Pretty sure I sneaked away and got their attention to run off in another direction. Y'all just fell asleep here.

-But I was tied to the ceiling!

-Hey, beats me. I guess I was too drunk to remember I can use portals, so I just sat there and scrolled through Twitter. Just kinda waiting for someone to break in.

-This can't be happening...- Star covers her face with her hands and sighs again. -This just can't be happening.

 Star was never unfamiliar with alcohol. Her dad taught her a lot about its effects on the mind throughout her life, and was responsible enough to warn her of the consequences she could face if she ever found herself losing control of her actions. She never thought his warnings would be in vain.

-Oh but it is, queen.- Peter chuckles. -Well, I guess we better leave before we get arrested.

 The idea of escaping is unanimously accepted. The sorcerer rips open the dimensions and creates a portal to Mewni.

 

\-------------

 

 Star tried to use the castle repairs as a way to distance herself from what happened that night. Tom left as soon as they arrived on Mewni, probably to explain to his parents where he was last night and why an apparent terrorist attack took place in Europe. Not meddling in the affairs of other dimensions is a good way not to make enemies, and occupying a political stronghold after wreaking havoc through a city is a poor way to achieve that end. Star considers herself lucky that Earth is so ignorant of interdimensional travel, because despite not having magic, humans make a pretty formidable opponent against Mewni. If they knew the truth, she would have a mess of unthinkable proportions on her hands.

 It's not the first time Star took things a little too far and ended up embarassing herself, but it is the first time she did anything without truly thinking about it. She was always reckless by nature, but every trouble she ever had before was caused by things she did while compltely conscious of her actions. Being under the influence of alcohol is definetely a first time, and something she has no intentions of repeating. She's a queen, for God's sake! How could she let something like this happen!?

 Even Peter is wise enough not to say a word to the High Commission, hoping they don't pay much mind to rumours coming from the Earth dimension, and Marco is more aware than anyone of the possible ramifications something like this could have on his homeworld. Everyone knows this was a disaster, by any measure imaginable, and making sure nobody on Mewni knows about it is probably the best way to go about handling the situation.

 Thankfully, the castle is in such a state of chaos that getting to her room and changing clothes without anyone noticing is pretty easy. After that, she makes sure to disguise the stains on her clothes with dirt in order to hide what she and her friends went through the night before. Sending them to the Wash, Star silently sighs and leaves her room to check on the progress being done in her castle.

 It's good, actually. The knights have been busy reallocating all the people staying in the lower floors to their newly rebuilt homes in town, giving the artisans and crasftsmen plenty of space to repair the fortress' architecture. The towers are no longer at risk of collapsing, which is good, and by the end of the week, the only thing to worry about will be properly decorating every corridor, hall and room within the building and prepare everything for the bureaucratic mess that will follow when other kingdoms decide their waiting has been long enough. With that knowledge, the young queen breaks a smile, and congratulates her staff on a job well done. Tom isn't around, Peter ran off to gods know where, and Marco decided it was a good time to check on his family back on Earth, promising to return a few hours later. Alone, and with the High Commission nowhere in sight, Star excuses herself from her knights, before making her way to the throne room.

 It is empty. The twin thrones of the King and Queen of Mewni sit idly at the far end of the room. The red carpet that usually extends from the main doors to the thrones is no longer there, having been removed during repairs. The walls look brand new, with every crack sealed and every inch of filth removed, they look as if the place was built earlier today, which it might as well have been. Despite this, the lack of banners and a layer of ash and dust covering the floor give the place a sense of abandonment and decay, which is sure to go away after it's clean, but for now, it looks kind of depressing.

 Slowly, Star makes her way to the throne. Mighty and asserting, her small frame looks like it doesn't belong in it. Nevertheless, she sits on it. She is reminded of how young she is, of how she is not supposed to have this much responsibility at this time. It's a knowledge she's had since the beggining, but it never really felt as real as it feels now. It...really sucks.

 

-The Underestimated, indeed.- Star is so caught up in her day dream that she only notices the figure leaning against the throne once it speaks.

 As fast as she realizes its presence, she jumps from her seat and points her wand at it.

-Who are you?! What are you doing here?!- She questions the stranger.

-Who am I?- The dark presence's face is covered by a black hood. A black coat shields him, and a magic aura surrounds him as he steps forward towards the queen, pulling back his cover. -A visitor, that's all, Majesty.

 The man looks old, yet well preserved. A well kept white beard gives him a wise look, and his eyes look like they've seen plenty during their time, dry and empty. He wears a tender, yet weak smile across his face.

-You look...familiar.

-Do I?- The man chuckles. -It is true that Peter took his looks from me.

-Peter's lo...Wait a minute. Are you a Thorenheim?

-Correct, my dear.

-But, they're all dead! Peter's supposed to be the last one!

-Oh. Your mother never told you about Soul Binding? Ugh. Moon was always so concerned with you knowing too much.

-So, who are you exactly?

-William is the name. But perhaps "Lord of The Depths" would sound more familiar to you.

 Star gasps and lowers her wand, staring at William's expression with both awe and horror.

-You...Yeah, I've heard of you.

 

\-------------

 

 The tavern is noisy and busy, as travelers from all across the Multiverse relax and enjoy the music and food that the place has to offer. It is so overwhelming you couldn't hear a conversation being held between the two sorcerers sitting by the counter.

-And that was the story.- Says Peter, as he finishes his drink.

-Damn.- Glossaryck stares for a couple of seconds. -That sounds...

-Fucking traumatic, tell me about it. Enough for even me to hold back for a while. -He stares at his empty glass of orange juice. - But it was worth it. And I'd do it again.

-I can't believe you actually managed to convince Star to do that.

-Yeah, getting an upper class white chick to drink. Real fucking challenge...

-Maybe now you can stop being so cryptic and actually tell me a bit more about your plans?

-It takes a lot of nerve for you to tell me not to be vague, bro.

-Fair enough. But still, you guided Star and her friends through a path of drunken devastation across a foreign city she never even heard of before. What was that all about?

-You overcomplicate things, Glossaryck. It could have been the European Parliament, could have been the Pentagon, could have been the UN Headquarters. Fuck, I could've just trashed the school at Echo Creek! It wouldn't be any different. -Peter signals the bartender to pour him another glass.

-Then why did you choose the EU?

-Well, let's just say I got a bit of a grudge against them. But that's more personal stuff, doesn't really have much to do with this. Thought I could just crush two birds with one stone.

-I see. What was the other bird, then?

 The elementalist waits patiently for the bartender to give him more juice from a bottle, and then gulps the entire glass in a blink.

-Hey, hey...- He taps the worker on the shoulder and passes him a couple of coins. -You can just leave the bottle, dude.

 The bartender nods, and puts the glass container on the counter beside Peter.

 Finally, the sorcerer turns to his friend.

-I don't know if I should tell you, Glossaryck.- He continues, while pouring himself some more of the beverage. -I mean, I get that being the sarcastic god like being that watches things from a distance is your shtick, but still, I don't think I can trust you to stay true to that character.

-By all means, I love some mystery and intrigue. Besides, your intentions will be revealed sooner or later. I just wanted to see if you would crack.

-Oh. Well, eat a dick, then.

-It was a smart move, by the way. Not trusting me to keep quiet. I would have, but that doesn't mean telling me would be a good idea.

-Heh, glad we understand each other.

-You're playing your cards right, Thorenheim. I don't know what you're hiding, but it is not my job to interfere. Not anymore. Personally...

 The blue humanoid begins to float.

-...I can't wait to see how things will turn out.

 And with that, the being disappears into thin air, leaving Peter alone at the counter, a devious smile formed across his face.

-Wait a sec...- He realizes -The motherfucker didn't pay his tab! Jesus, what an asshole...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, it was kind of a long hiatus. I slacked. I'm lazy, what can you do?


	8. As Far as The Story Goes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, exposition time!

Star and William stare silently at each other for several unending seconds, as if studying every detail of one another. William is a man of medium frame, thin and tall, and definitely without the looks of someone weakened by age. His stance is asserting and his face is hard to read. Despite the similitarities, Star can see the Lord is nothing like his grandson. He is much more professional and cotained, his emotions barely showing.

 -Forgive my intrusion, Miss Butterfly.- The old sorcerer says. - I had searched for you all over this castle, yet I was unable to find you. I figured the Throne Room would be the best place to await your return.

 -Oh. Yeah, sorry for not being around. You know, it's been a really busy time...- Star thinks it is best to avoid telling William about her latest misadventure.

 -I understand. After all, I can only imagine how hard it must be to handle other nobility in this time.

 -I actually haven't talked to other kingdoms' diplomats yet.

 -No? Why, that is strange...

 -Huh?

 -I thought that a minor such as yourself could only drink in cerimonial events such as diplomatic meetings..

 Star's smile dissipates in a blink.

 -Whaaat?- She nervously giggles. -I...I don't know what you're talking about, Mister Thirenheim.

 -Oh, spare me, queen, I am not your father!- The old man can't help himself but to laugh. - Your breath smells strongly of wine, and yours eyes scream of a recent headache that I can only assume was caused by a hangover.

 Star gazes silently at him, not entirely sure of how to respond. She's embarassed beyond reason, that's for sure, and she can feel her cheeks burning while the spellcaster pulls himself together.

-Given how you hadn't even thought of masquerading your breath, I take it this is your first time in this sort of trouble?- William questions.

-Yeah. First time.

-No need to worry, Queen. Your parents would be sure to punish you for your deeds, but personally, I see no harm done.

-No harm done!?- Stars asks, nearly offended. -I, I'm supposed to be the Queen! Queens don't get drunk and wander off! Like, there's no way mom ever did something like this, and she was barely older than me when she took over the kingdom!

-I can see you are frustrated. But as I said, no need to worry.- The old timer leans against the throne once again. - First of all, allow me to burst that bubble. Your mother, my dear, was no saint in that regard. I've spent some time under her employment, and in her younger years she and River skipped more meetings than I can count. Where did I find the young couple, you ask? In the castle's higher floors, in the roof, in the gardens, taking advantage of the fine liquor the young queen used to have access to.

 Star gasps. Her mom, drinking? Even in her younger years, Star could never imagine her mom creating any sort of trouble or doing anytning she wasn't supposed to. How could it be?

 -I can't believe it.- She cuts off. -Are you saying my mom used to be...a rebel!?

-The image of the perfect princess your bloodline tried so damn hard to preserve over the generations? It's a bloody fraud, I'm affraid. How could it not be? It is in human nature to rebel against authority and break the rules, especially in the early adulthood. What? Did you think you were the only bad girl in the family?

-Well, mom always said I was a little too reckless for my own good.

-Perhaps. But if she ever implied she was any different, she was deceiving you. Understand this, Queen Star: you always do wrong in the eyes of those with more experience. In the words of a wise man, every generation thinks they are more intelligent than the one who came before, and wiser than the one who comes after. Your mother was right to remind you to control yourself, but in your age, every princess from here to Mewni's birth stepped out of line on a regular basis.

 -Oh.- Star reflects upon William's words for a bit.- I guess I'm not so bad after all.

-On the bright side, that is correct. Sadly, it would also mean that the rebel persona you put up is not that unique and original.

-Damn...you really ARE Peter's family. Just with, you know, fancier words.

-Heh. If I seem harsh, it's because I see potential in you, Star. - She looks up to meet his gaze. - And I see plenty, in fact.

-Do you?

-Certainly. Don't compare yourself to those who came before you, and simply do the best you can, and you'll see the good that can come of it. Just look around. As I was informed, this kingdom was in ruins just a few weeks back. Do you even realize that you are responsible for the biggest act of reconstruction that ever took place in Mewni?

-I am? Wow, I...didn't know that.

-See now? Queen, that is precisely why I wanted to see you. When I heard the young lady Star was yet to break down when facing such a desperate situation, I just had to leave the Plane to come here. You are young, very young. Younger than your mother was when she took the throne. And yet, your achievements speak of ingenuity and cunning unlike what most monarchs can do in such a short time and with so little experience. You have the weight of a civilization resting on your shoulders, and you stand strong. If you ever need motivation, remind youself of that, Star: you are actually doing a very good job here.

 William is right. Mewni suffered greatly right before she took over, and instead of letting everyone else pick up the broken remains of her kingdom, she took charge and guided her people in a time of crisis. Sure, she had some help, but she was still at the center of everything that happened since Meteora attacked. Her people needed her, and she was there, like a queen is supposed to be. It is a conforting thought, which helps face the shame she feels for being irresponsible and thoughtless with her actions.

 If William knew the whole thing, about the destruction they all caused on Earth, he would probably not have been so positive with his attitude.

-Also, I will make a wild guess and say that Peter had a hand in your little misadventure.

-He did.

-I figured.- Thorenheim sighs. - He is a good kid, that much I know, but I wish he could be more focused and thoughtful sometimes.

\- I've had a few complaints about that here and there too.

\- I apologize for my grandson, Queen. He was never the most well disciplined of elementalists.

\- I could tell. If you don't mind me asking, mister Thorenheim, what happened to your family exactly?

 William's expression becomes much more serious, and Star fears she has touched a nerve.

 -Were you never told of us? Of our history?

 - I learned a bit, but not much. My parents were always really vague when talking about it.

 - I see. As Queen, you should be given proper knowledge of your allies. What exactly do you know?

 - I know the bloodline goes back about 500 years and the Lucitors and you don't get along. That's about it.

 - It's a very incomplete story. But it is true. The Thorenheim bloodline streches back to the year 1500, the time it is believed our ancestor first discovered Elemental magic and performed the Soul Binding spell upon his passing. Due to the secretive nature of our family, his name has been lost to the centuries that have since passed. All we know is his association with the Catholic Church. Given the extent of influence he was recorded to have, he must've been a bishop, perhaps even a Cardinal. He stole the initial research from the Underworld, specifically from the Lucitor family, and that is why they remain our enemies to this day.

 - Soul Binding? You mentioned that before.

 - Yes. As I speak to you right now, Queen Star, I am dead. I have been so since before you were born. What you see before you is an arcane projection of my living form before my passing, the human form I used to have. In reality, my soul rests in the Elemental Plane of Water, the particular Plane to which I am bound. I can go as I please between the Planes, and can access most higher dimensions as well. As you can imagine, this is very powerful magic.

 - I can. Do all elementalists go through that?

 - In theory, yes. That is the nature of the Soul Binding spell. As the name implies, it binds our souls to the Planes. Without this bond, the extent of power we could extract from them would be much smaller. This bond has to be developed and reinforced in life through study and use of magic, so that it becomes strong enough to sustain a soul in the Planes after the death of the user. The spell also has a capacity for transmission. It gives the current elementalist the ability to pass it to a descendant. Only his first born can inherent it.

 - So there can only be one? And what if the child dies?

 - The death of the future elementalist in his infancy is a tragedy our family only suffered a couple of times at most, but it is possible to recover from it. If the child dies and his parent is still alive, he recovers the ability to pass the Soul Binding enchantment and can bear another child to inherent it. And no, there can be more than one. In theory, there could be an infinite number of elementalists. It was usual for 3 generations of elementalists to be active at the same time.

 - That's pretty cool. But, what happened to Peter's father then?

 - My son Robert was not a proper arcanist. He was a disgrace to the Thorenheim line and a disappointment to his family. He was uncapable of learning the most basic of elemental magic, and as such, he couldn't even make it to the Elemental Planes after he died. And he died quite young, actually, not long after I did. Personally, I believe he was killed, as he had no illnesses. Who did it, I can only wonder.

 - Gods! I'm sorry.

 - No need, Queen. I shed no tears when I learned of his death. Robert and I, we were never close. He hated me, and I had disowned him.

 - Oh...- Star is horrified. There is no way a father can be so unforgiving towards his own son. There is something else here.

 - What about Peter, then?

 - He was the miracle I had hoped for. With both me and Robert dead, I feared the Thorenheims were as good as done, that I was the last one. Yet to my surprise, I learned that Robert had a child. I could feel the presence of another elementalist on Earth, a very young one. The situation, though, could not have been more grim for him...

 - Grim?

 - His mother was named Madalena, and she lived in Portugal, where I believe Robert died. However, I found Peter in an orphanage. It seems that his mother had died during childbirth. Worse yet, she was inspected by the doctors who delivered Peter, and her body was full of bruises, scars and defensive wounds. Her womb also showed signs of forced penetration.

 - You're saying...But that means...

 - That my son violated her, and continued to abuse her during her pregnancy. I wouldn't be surprised if I found he died by her hand. There's only so much someone is willing to take before they lash out.

 The young queen is shocked, outraged even. Now she can understand why William is so cold when speaking of his son. The relationship he had with him was poor, and Robert was clearly a terrible human being.

 -As for Peter, he grew up without father figures. I tried to be there for him, to teach him the ways of the Arcane, and he listened to me carefully. However, he always saw me as more of a companion than an authority. Effectively, he grew up without a father figure of any kind.

 - That explains his manners.

 - Peter was always fascinated with the world of the Internet. Between learning magic and being online, he spent all his time in the two. He was raised by a culture of anonimity and lack of decency. On the bright side, it made him really resistant to what people think of him, which is something that tends to trouble you when you live in a materialistic world and have access to magic.

 - Now I feel kinda sorry for Peter, actually. It seems like he had a hard life.

 - Peter wouldn't want you to pity him, and neither do I. We all have some trouble in our lives, and he had his fair share. If he ever heard you say that you feel sorry for him, I believe you know what he would tell you.

 - To bite him, probably.

 - Precisely.

 - So, mister Thorenheim?

 - Call me William, Queen.

 - Oh. Ok. William, could you tell me some more about the whole magic thing?

 - Well, Star, if we had told you the true secrets of our magic, we would be out of a job. So I'll tell you the basics that every Queen of Mewni has been taught about us. Deal?

 - Sounds good.

 - The Elements of Water, Air, Earth and Fire are the most primordial constructs of the Multiverse. The Aether, the fith element, also exists, but it does not reside in an Elemental Plane, and its uses for battle are very limited. Instead, we use it in more practical manners, like in the creation of interdimensional portals. Of course, the 4 elements are the bread and butter of an elementalist. Every living soul has an affinity towards a certain element. My affinity is with water. Peter's affinity is with air. These natural tendencies to bond with a certain element are caused by the essence of each individual soul, which has a better time channeling the energy of the element that most easily fits its own.

 - I've seen Peter use a lot of air, now that you mention it.

 - It is no coincidence. Each element has its strengths and weaknesses. Water is cold, rational and pragmatic. It knows how to respond with efficiency and coordenation to most problems. However, it struggles to think outside of the box and solve issues that require creativity and improvising. Having affinity with Water myself, it was always my primary weapon. Air exists in contrast to Water. Air is free thinking, creative in every way and refuses to obey the whims and wills of any other. Peter's impulsive nature is the perfect demonstration. Air is the most versatile of elements, but its lack of coordenation and discipline makes it hard for Peter and others like him to achiever their full potential.

 - So your personality influences what elements you control best? Does anyone have an affinity with Aether?

 - Aether is entirely imaterial in its nature, and is set apart from the other elements. As far as it is known, no one can have an affinity to Aether.

 - Right. What about Earth and Fire?

 - Well, Earth is the element of strength and resistance. The Earth bound souls are the most resilient and unrelenting creatures out there, certain to stand tall and fight on until all shreds of hope are completely gone. This strength comes at the cost of lack of emotion. Without a strong passion to guide you, it can sometimes be hard to defend Humanity, whose condition is defined by raw sentiment. Fire, on the other hand, gives you all the passion, hatred, love, jealousy, lust and greed you will ever need. It is the embodiment of emotion itself, the desire to be more that drives all sentient beings. With that comes a kind of strength even Earth has trouble matching. The cost? Control. Fire is very easily corrupted. A little anger behind your strikes will make you swing faster and hit harder, but there is a great cost to be had if you ever lose control of your hatred. That is what happened to Robert, sadly. He had an affinity to Fire, and he lost control of himself, forgot his goals. He served only his desires of fulfilling mundane pleasures and ignored his duties entirely. Fire is dangerous, and difficult to handle. 

 - Wow. Elemental magic sounds really cool! I wonder which element I have an affinity to.

 - It's a fun thought to have, surely.

 - What about famous elementalists? You know, the ones that really stand out?

 - Each Thorenheim was unique in its own way, but there are a few that really managed to catch the attention of future generations. On the darker side of the spectrum, Elijah, the Fire Lord was a psycopathic arsonist who also lost his control of Fire and wreaked havoc across the dimensions. He took a sadistic pleasure of burning his enemies to ash, and he caused the Great Massacre of The Day of Ashes, something you must have been taught about.

 She was. In that gruesome day, the sorcerer, drunk with rage and bloodlust, set fire to 5 Mewni battleships, which burned completely, killing all hands on all decks. It is now a day remembered with sadness, and a memorial to the victims still stands on the city's harbors. The event also made the relations between Thorenheims and Butterflies bitter for several decades.

 - But there were plenty of less infamous characters in our history. In times long passed, a group of evil spirits indoctrinated several Mewman villages across Mewni into worshipping them as deities. Thomas Thorenheim was the one to dismantle the several chapters of all the cults and kill the spirits. He is known today as Thomas, The Slayer of Gods.

 - I've heard his name said a few times before. Along with another one. I think it's The Forger, or something.

 - Must be my grandfather, Henry Thorenheim, The Arcane Forger. He had an affinity to Earth, and crafted some of the most powerful enchanted weapons Mewni has ever seen, short only of the Royal Wand itself.

 - Those are the only ones I remember. What about your father? Did he have a title?

 - All elementalists have a title. Even Robert Thorenheim, the Rogue. Peter will receive his eventually. And it was not my father who passed the spell onto me, Queen. It was my mother, Eliza Thorenheim, The Steel Maiden.

 - Women can be elementalists too?

 - Most elementalists have been men, but nothing prevents women from inherenting the spell. Being firstborn is the only requirement.

 - What was she like?

 - She was distant, but she taught me all I know about elemental magic and took care of her family in a time where the Thorenheims were destitute. We have regained most of our wealth since.

 - Are there any more elementalists of note?

 - There is one. One Peter is particularly fond of. Jeremiah Thorenheim. His comtemporaries gave him the unoriginal title of Pirate Mage. To better reflect his legacy, we have since changed it. He is now Jeremiah, The Breaker of Chains.

 - Peter likes him, huh? What did he do?

 - Jeremiah was a plunderer during the Golden Age of Piracy. But he was no ordinary thief at high sea. He spent a good portion of his life chasing after slave ships that crossed the Atlantic into the Americas, to free the captives held there. He is estimated to have freed thousands, if not tens of thousands of people from slavery, most of which he managed to return home, to Africa, using a fleet of cargo ships. Some actually chose to repay him by serving aboard his vessel and helping him attack more slavers. The Thorenheims always had in mind the defense of Humanity and its interests, but Jeremiah was the first Thorenheim to claim that all men are equal, and should be free.

 - He...He sounds like a hero.

 - He was. He reminded my family of our true mission. He also wrote a small biography he entitled "On Virtues and Vices", but only a portion of the text survived to this day. Among what remains is the most universally known and important citation of any Thorenheim ever. "The value of a Man is measured by what He does in life, not by the circumstances in which He enters it". Those are words to live by, in my opinion. And in Peter's, since Jeremiah was his role model growing up.

 - Really?

 - Yes. As far as I know, the only person Peter ever truly looked up to was the Breaker of Chains.

 - He never mentioned him, though. Why?

 - You know Peter. He wouldn't want you to know he ever looked up to someone. As I said, Air bows to no masters. It is only natural for him to deny it.

 - Damn. I didn't know you guys had such a rich history.

 - Perhaps your mother didn't wish to teach you about us at such an early age. Having been queen so young, I can only imagine she didn't want to bother you with the burden of leadership she had to endure. It's an understandable choice, but we all have to leave our nests eventually.

 - But wait...- Star realizes. - You are William Thorenheim, the Lord of The Depths. What did you do to get that title?

 William's face grows tired and melancholic. A past of achievement passes through his, but all he can remember is dread and hopelessness, with scattered islands of joy and hope. After comtemplating his time in the world of the living, he finally speaks:

 - Do you not know what I have done? You must have heard.

 - Again, it was all pretty vague. But, really dark too. I think Tom mentioned something about...- Suddenly, Star freezes in horror as she remebers clearly what her boyfriend said to her a while ago, about how his mother had someone taken away from her. About the result of a pointless feud that has gone on for way too long, but that Tom perpetuates out of spite and hatred alone, as does everyone involved.

 - Did you...- Weakly, she question. -Did you kill someone?

 Silence. William's breath becomes heavy for a second. Not by fear or regret. No. It's as if the old man was suddenly reminded of an old rage buried inside him that found a way to break free. He closes his fists, inhales profoundly, and calms himself down.

 -Yes. - He reponds. -I killed a Lucitor. His name was Raknaresh. He was Wrathmelior's father.

-Wrathme...Tom's mom?

-The young Demon Prince, yes. I believe he is too young to know the truth, so I do not blame him. Yet...- The sorcerer's words are becoming more erratic as he speaks. - And maybe you aren't ready to know it all yourself. Just know that Raknaresh took away from me someone very important, and that triggered in me something the likes of which I've never seen before. I may have acted on instinct alone, but I stand by what I did. I freed the world of a very, very wicked creature...

-But what about your title?

-My title...- The man chuckles, then smiles malevolently. -There is a legend that goes back to the Beggining of it all. Eons ago, when the Dwellers of the Underworld made a pact with the Creator Gods, a deal signed with blood that transcends the petty bureaucracies of their time and of ours. That the Throne of Hell is held by strength, by desire, by will. Fighting is the only way of life in their world. To fight is to live. And so, it was made so that the strongest of creatures could sit upon the Throne as it pleases, after the blood of the old King had been spilled upon the floors of the Palace. That is just the thing, Queen Star. Nothing in the deal ever stated that the one to sit upon it has to be a demon.

 Sheer terror makes its way across Star's mind. The wicked smile on William's face, the tale he just told...It all points in a very clear, very terrifying direction.

-Are you saying?...

-Yes, Queen.- He cuts off. - I deafeated Raknaresh when he still held the Throne. That gives me all the glory, all the prizes and all the titles he had. The Dark Prince of Dread, the Demonic Fury, Commander of the Chaos Legions. And of course, legitimate heir to the Throne of the Underworld. The Lucitors would never admit it, and their demon vassals would never bow before me without me breaking their spines one by one. But it doesn't matter. I. Am. The King of Hell. I am the Lord of the Depths.

 Star is paralised. How can it be? Tom is not the true Prince of the Underworld? Everything she thought she knew about the closest ally of Mewni is a lie!? When did her mother plan to tell her about it!?! 

 -Enough speaking of the past. - William concludes, seemingly back to his normal, contained self. -Let us focus on the present. I hope this little story has taught you something, Queen. Birthright? It means shite. It's worth absolutely nothing. What really counts for anything in the end is what we do, what we are remembered by. As an ilegitimate bloodline, you should know that yourself. Yeah, I knew too. We were aware of Eclipsa's situation and her daughter since the beggining. You think we cared? No. The blood that runs through you is that of a peasant, Star. And that didn't stop you. Nor should it have.

 Yet another minute of soul crushing silence passes. The whole time, the queen just stares, speechless.

 -Bloody hell.- William sighs. - Being in this dimension really consumes my energy. I must rest. It was good talking to you, Queen. Truly. I hope we meet each other again. But for now, farewell.

 And with that, the wizard dissipates into nothing in a blink, leaving behind some etheral dust that is also quick to fade away, leaving Star alone once again. She just stands there for a second before returning to her senses. With a blank look on her face, she takes her rightful seat on her throne. Staring idly into the hall stretched out before her, empty and devoid of life, she comtemplates.

 -Birthright...

 


End file.
